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<div><font color="#0000FF"><u>10020</u></font></div>
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<div>Idaho Statesman 10/10/06</div>
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<div>Otter says he will oppose Proposition 2 property rights
measure</div>
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<div>Congressman Butch Otter, GOP candidate for governor, said he is
opposing</div>
<div>Proposition 2, the eminent domain and regulatory takings measure
on the Nov.</div>
<div>7 ballot.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>As recently as Monday in Boise, Otter said he hadn't made up his
mind about</div>
<div>the measure and wasn't sure what the measure really said.</div>
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<div>Democrat Jerry Brady previously said he opposed the measure,
which he said</div>
<div>would limit Idaho state and local laws aimed at controlling
growth and</div>
<div>protecting quality of life.</div>
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<div>In a statement today, Otter said the law could lead to numerous
lawsuits.</div>
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<div>"Private property rights is one of my core values. Yet there
are almost as</div>
<div>many opinions about what Proposition 2 will actually do as there
are people</div>
<div>voicing those opinions. That seems like a recipe for lots of
lawsuits, which</div>
<div>makes it tough for me to recommend it.</div>
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<div>Proposition 2 is aimed at limiting the ability of government to
take</div>
<div>property without consent and to tell landowners what they can do
with their</div>
<div>land.</div>
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<div>The opposition building among Idaho business groups, chambers of
commerce,</div>
<div>cities, counties and Boise neighborhood groups is aimed at the
provisions</div>
<div>that require government to give landowners money when zoning
regulations</div>
<div>limit what those owners can do with their properties.</div>
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<div>Opponents say the section on compensating landowners is so poorly
written it</div>
<div>will create chaos in real estate markets and gut state and local
rules that</div>
<div>limit sprawl, ensure open space and protect the
environment.</div>
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<div>Supporters call the opponents' criticism scare tactics and say
the measure,</div>
<div>if approved, will ensure that landowners are compensated when a
land-use law</div>
<div>takes away the value of their property.</div>
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<div>Here is the statement Otter issued today:</div>
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<div>"The Idaho Legislature did a good job of addressing the eminent
domain</div>
<div>concerns raised by the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Kelo
vs. New London,</div>
<div>Connecticut. While Proposition 2 essentially restates the
Legislature's</div>
<div>solution, the issue at the ballot measure's heart is protecting
private</div>
<div>property from regulatory takings. I fully understand and even
share many of</div>
<div>its supporters' concerns. Private property rights is one of my
core values.</div>
<div>Yet there are almost as many opinions about what Proposition 2
will actually</div>
<div>do as there are people voicing those opinions. That seems like a
recipe for</div>
<div>lots of lawsuits, which makes it tough for me to recommend it. So
I will</div>
<div>vote against Proposition 2. My commitment to the measure's
supporters is</div>
<div>that if problems such as they foresee do arise in Idaho, I will
be front and</div>
<div>center to see that those problems are addressed by whatever means
necessary</div>
<div>and in an equitable and constitutional manner."</div>
<div> </div>
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<div>Neighbors Protecting Idaho</div>
<div>P.O. Box 137</div>
<div>Boise, Idaho 83701</div>
<div>208-424-8500</div>
<div>www.neighborsprotectingidaho.org</div>
<div><br></div>
<div><font size="+2" color="#FF0000">Vote NO on Prop 2!</font></div>
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