The Philadelphia Inquirer Monica Yant Kinney column.(taxation of lands)

Byline: Monica Yant Kinney

Jun. 30--Nothing much has changed in Ventnor City, except that now when I drop in to talk about the government's plan to grab people's homes and hand the land to a developer, residents ask whether I think I'll lose my house, too.

It isn't every U.S. Supreme Court decision that actually hits folks where they live.

But last week, the robed wonders granted politicians everywhere the power to take private property if perfectly law-abiding citizens aren't doing enough to boost the bottom line.

Say you and your neighbors pay $5,000 a year in property taxes.

A developer can roll into town promising to build homes and …