Columbus Drops Lead Paint Lawsuit
Thursday, July 10th, 2008 By David Owsiany
The Columbus Dispatch reported today that the “city of Columbus has dropped its lawsuit against former lead paint manufacturers after the Rhode Island Supreme Court last week shot down the legal argument the city was pursuing.” Marc Kilmer reported on the Rhode Island Supreme Court’s decision last week, pointing out the fallacy of trying to hold paint manufacturers liable for creating a “public nuisance” by selling paint that contained lead several decades ago. In fact, I suggested in a Buckeye Institute Viewpoint a year and a half ago that the city of Columbus should drop the lawsuit. I am glad the city attorneys have come to their senses. Now, the state should follow Columbus’ lead on lead paint and dismiss its similarly bogus lawsuit.
Tags: AG Activism, lawsuit abuse, lead paint, Local Government
July 10th, 2008 at 11:05 am
Of course, the state thinks it has to participate in the shakedown of Sherwin-Williams and the rest of Ohio’s paint industry (employing 17,000 people) as well. What is the point of eliminating the tangible personal property tax if the government is going get its pound of flesh from “deep-pocketed” manufacturing businesses through means such as this?