Property Rights Passed General Election
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PEAPAC Recommends: YES

Protects private property (8th Commandment); government should pay for what it takes/devalues.

Summary

Requires government to compensate landowners if regulations reduce the value of their property.

Biblical Reasoning

As we noted under Measure 3, private property is one of the most basic freedoms reiterated throughout the Bible. That’s why our founding fathers placed such a high value on property rights, and placed a high wall of protection around these rights… English common law was the basis for our Constitution. It allowed governments to take private property when needed for public purposes. This practice is called “eminent domain.” But it also insisted that the original owner be compensated for the land taken.

Election Results

53%
47%
YesNo

Voters approved the property takings compensation (53% Yes), though it was later overturned by the courts.

Full PEAPAC Analysis

PEAPA C Explanation: If passed, Measure 7 would change the Oregon Constitution so that property owners would be made whole for any decrease in the value of their property brought about by most state and local government actions.

As we noted under Measure 3, private property is one of the most basic freedoms reiterated throughout the Bible. That’s why our founding fathers placed such a high value on property rights, and placed a high wall of protection around these rights. The Bill of Rights includes the “right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures.”

English common law was the basis for our Constitution. It allowed governments to take private property when needed for public purposes. This practice is called “eminent domain.” But it also insisted that the original owner be compensated for the land taken. That’s the case in Oregon today. But sometimes the government’s actions don’t result in a total taking of the property. The State or county may rezone your land, restrict your right to use the trees on it, etc. In these cases, this Measure would ensure that you be compensated for the loss of value that you have suffered at the hands of the government. Good men may disagree whether eminent domain is appropriate in a Biblical society. But all should agree that the State should recompense the owner for property taken. And we think it’s right for the State to recompense the owner for whatever reduction in value the State’s actions create. We thus recommend a Yes vote on Measure 7.

Related Measures

Measure 3 (2000) — Referenced regarding property rights principles. View →

← PreviousMeasure 6 (2000)