Who benefits from property-rights ruling?

Regarding the Lucas v. South Carolina Coastal Council ruling discussed in the Opinion page article "A Troubling New Ruling on Property Rights," July 16: The author laments that the burden now rests on the state to prove the necessity of regulation. Does he truly believe "the scales of justice" could ever be tilted to favor an individual in dispute with governmental authorities? The state must be held to the most rigorous proofs of necessity when its actions infringe on constitutional rights, be they spee ch, property, or religion. Steven Dreith, Clay Center, Kan.

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