Greedy out-of-state developers were given their walking papers by the Montana state Supreme Court this week when judges ruled that they used fraudulent methods to try and force through an initiative that would have given property owners the power to demand payment if they claimed government action devalued their property. In effect, this would have made environmental and zoning laws ineffective and removed public access to trout streams. Unfortunately, the same group of developers are spending millions of dollars in 5 other Western states to create the same loopholes in conservation and access laws.
"For now, the court's ruling closes the book on a bitter political battle that spanned 10 months and consumed more than $2 million in spending by both sides. Opponents of the measures, led by labor unions, consumer groups, hospitals, environmental groups and others, hailed Thursday's ruling as a victory for the initiative process and the residents of the state." Mike Dennison in The Billings Gazette. (Thanks to reader Luca Adelphia for this story.)
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