Unreal.
Housing? Parks?
Eminent Domain should only be used for roads, storm barriers, etc. I'd not even allow it for a hospital, actually. It would have to be something that could not possibly go someplace else. If you are on the beach, and they need erosion control or the whole town suffers. Or if they must build a brige, and your site is the suitable location. This crap like "urban development? Nonsense. Buy the land, or work around the stuff you don't buy.
As for owning land, if you pay property tax, you don't really own the land, since failure to pay tax takes the land away. I've always thought property tax should be done ONCE at the time of purchase. It can be added to the mortgage since it would be a large sum. Once the mortgage and property tax is paid off, you'd own it free and clear. If the property transfers to a new owner they'd then re-access the property value based on the sale price, and do the tax. If you sell it to your kid for $1, then he pays tax on $1.
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