This gem comes from Oregon: “800 acres of rolling farmland might be declared ‘blighted’” by Washington County commissioners. The farmland “could meet the state statute’s definition of ‘blight’ because it doesn’t have roads and utilities needed to support development, county officials say.” 

Why deem 800 acres of farmland “blighted”? So urban renewal money can be used to pay for roads and utilities in an undeveloped area of the county called New Bethany.

Commission chairman Tom Brian rationally reassures us, “It’s a little too early to panic. We’ve stated over and over that this is one of several tools we’re examining.” Thus reports The Oregonian (Aug. 13, 2007, “Diverting funds to help new area ruffles officials").

According to the Oregonian reporter, city of Hillsboro Mayor Tom Hughes “said his council isn’t opposed to the [blight] designation. But he acknowledges that turning farmland into subdivisions isn’t the typical use of urban renewal.” Hughes points out, “That really begins to stretch the concept of what blight is.”

Trees and open fields. Blight. Public servants, political science professors and pundits who wonder why people hold the institution of government in such low disregard need look no further.