Issue #1444: Trouble in Deed
The Issue
During a photo op in a fairly upscale neighborhood of Scott City, you notice a surprising number of abandoned houses dotting nearly every street. According to the painfully grinning woman whose baby you’re kissing, the properties are still owned by Darmeni expats who emigrated to various other countries, often decades ago.
The Debate
1. “Are these decrepit buildings a blight on the place? You betcha!” remarks the ever-smiling woman, who happens to be a City Councilor, wrestling your Minister of Public Relations over the baby. “It’s not just here, either. My colleagues tell me that cities across Darmen are dealing with this plague, and it’s getting in the way of the plans for our new megamall, dontcha know. Local governments need broad authority to step in and seize buildings that aren’t being used, so that they can be auctioned or demolished. Now can I have my baby back? I’ve got a hotdish in the oven.”
2. “You can’t do that!” screeches your rarely seen Minister of Sanity, crawling out of the woodwork of a nearby house. “Imagine what would happen if we let some mayor seize property just because it isn’t being used, especially if that property is owned by expats who might have dual citizenship! Do you want an international incident on our hands? The government needs to do things by the book, and not stir up any trouble. Instead, let’s try to contact every person that owns unused property here, and ask if they’d be willing to sell.”
3. “What happens in Darmen stays in Darmen!” declares vagrant Gertie du Pont, loading a bulging stack of boxes into a shopping cart. “As far as anyone’s concerned, the people owning these properties have ceased to exist. Us local folk could really use them houses for living, social gatherings, and steali- er, borrowing anything not nailed down. If the owners come back, you can just give the land back to them. What’ve you got to lose?”
Issue by The Lucky Endo Time of Cretox State
Edited by Pogaria