(AP) The new Maryland "flush tax," a $30 fee that generates money for the Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Restoration Fund, will be collected for the first time this year. It was seen as a major piece of environmental legislation for Gov. Robert Ehrlich. Owners of property with buildings on them, whether they use public water and sewer systems or septic tanks, must pay the fee.

Holy crap, they are trying to tax crap! Outstanding! What’s next, taking peoples land away to raise tax revenue? Oh wait… that has already happened: (Castle Coalition)

Baltimore, Maryland – City officials have moved one step closer to seizing the vacant Chesapeake Restaurant and two row houses for Station North Development Partners LLC, which wants to build a $40 to $50 million development of condos, townhouses, shops and offices called Chesapeake Square. The restaurant owner had already agreed to sell his land to another developer, so the city is pushing ahead to condemn the property for its developer of choice.

Baltimore, Maryland – West Side business owners in the Superblock continue to be forced to relocate under the threat of eminent domain for private retail, residential, and office development. The area includes 51 properties, most of which will be “redeveloped.” At least nine businesses have been condemned so far.

Baltimore, Maryland - City officials are relying on eminent domain for the Uplands Renewal Area project in Southwest Baltimore. While the city has already purchased some of the land from the federal government and a local church, it plans to seize a number of buildings and businesses in the area.

Baltimore, Maryland – 80 acres of homes and businesses north of the Johns Hopkins medical campus in East Baltimore are being razed and redeveloped into a biotech park.

This is a small sample. Are liberals (worse yet, Democrats) unknowingly inviting in the Orwellian scenario they all seem so scared of by their “ignorance is bliss” policy concerning their own party? How can you oppose “big business”, but not oppose the “big government” that facilitates it?