Council to Vote on Resolution Tonight

Mayor Dawn Zimmer today endorsed the use of eminent domain for the creation of a park in the city’s fourth ward. In a memo accompanying her proposed resolution, the mayor asked for the council’s support.

Zimmer went on to profess: “It is my hope that the knowledge that the City would use eminent domain if necessary will create a dynamic in the negotiations that would ironically cause the use of eminent domain to be unnecessary.”

Employing the mayor’s reasoning, we suppose a common thief might say: “It is my hope that sticking a gun to your head will create a dynamic that would ironically prevent me from having to reach into your pocket to snatch your wallet.”

In either scenario, could we really say the property was handed over voluntarily?

Update: The council voted 5 to 4 in support of the mayor's position. Ravi Bhalla, Peter Cunningham, Carol Marsh, David Mello and Tim Occhipinti all voted yes. Theresa Castellano, Jen Giattino, Beth Mason and Mike Russo opposed the resolution.