Posted on 06/11/2011 11:20:01 PM PDT by bronxville
City Government demands all keys to properties belonging to Cedar Falls residents.
Ordinance #2740(An unfunded city-wide mandate) was passed with a resounding 6 to 1 vote, and it allows for the citizens of Cedar Falls to forcefully give the government keys to their comercial properties through universal 'lock boxes'.
The intent of the program is to provide increased safety and protection to personal, private property which include businesses, apartments and some rental houses-- which by the way-- comes at the expense of furthering wayward erosion of fundamental constitutional rights.
The councils statements were quite shocking especially one of them. Voting total - 6-1
I recommend that the residents just say “no” as often, as loudly, and as forcefully as is necessary.
They already have this in California. They are called Knox Boxes. They are mounted near the front door of large commercial buildings. All keys to all the doors in the building are inside these boxes. Supposedly only the Fire Department has they key to the Knox Box.
A pack of unswayable tyrants who need to be voted out of office and then run out of town.
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -— Opposition failed to lock down efforts Monday to expand the use of key boxes for emergency responders in Cedar Falls.
In March the City Council approved the first reading for an ordinance adopting new fire codes. However, at the time Councilman Nick Taiber objected to a section that would increase the number of property owners that would be required to have key boxes on site for fire rescue personnel to access buildings in an emergency.
The Evansdale City Council in March voted against requiring such lock boxes over concerns about security and expense.
Cedar Falls already has had an ordinance requiring the lock boxes on commercial properties that have alarms systems, sprinkler systems or for buildings with six or more residential units. That ordinance has been in place since 2002.
The new ordinance would require the boxes be installed on all of those properties, plus buildings with three or more residential units.
Taiber said it’s an unfunded mandate, adding expense for property owners who should have a choice in the matter.
“You can justify a lot of this on life protection and property protection, and I agree. But I can’t see making this mandatory,” Taiber said.
With the lock boxes, property owners place keys to the property in a box accessible only by a master key that is kept by the fire department.
Taiber also questioned whether the city takes on too much responsibility by having a key to all of these businesses.
Fire Chief John Schilling said the most basic model costs about $250. But he said a commercial door can cost $2,000, and the lock box will keep the department from having to break such doors down to investigate an alarm. It also saves the fire department time in responding to calls.
“I hear what you’re saying about unfunded mandates, but I’m concerned about safety,” Councilman John Runchey said to Taiber.
The council took no vote Monday, but Taiber was the only member to voice his opposition to the new ordinance.
Schilling said the department used the lock box keys about 120 times last year. There are currently 269 buildings in Cedar Falls that have the boxes.
Council member Susan de Buhr saw Taiber’s point about making the lockboxes mandatory, but gave the safety issue more weight.
“I think in a perfect world you wouldn’t make this mandatory, people would put them in for the safety of their tenants, but they don’t do it,” de Buhr said.
http://wcfcourier.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_a1947ab8-14cc-5f16-9f28-2e7d512ab0d6.html
What state is this?
Our Ruling Elite is going rather far. I wonder if Americans will take it.
And we had to put up with 8 years of the commie ‘RAT liberals whining that President Bush was trying to take away their rights. Geeesh! Where are those crybabies now?
>> it allows for the citizens of Cedar Falls to forcefully give the government keys to their comercial properties
Strange wording (and spelling).
City can't affor fire axes?
Why, they're running things! And all that whining about having their rights taken away was just phoney-baloney political posturing. It was nothing but an act, Alinsky-inspired political theater.
Unfortunately, a lot of those living in this country bought into the lies.
Can the keys be loaded into shotguns?
Come to think of it, why is “property” taxed at all? Government should stay the hell out of people’s relationship with *any* of their own property. Property ownership should be between a property owner and the property.
Why is government involved at all?
"That was protesting Fascist intrusion of Human Rights; this is a Common Sense, Progressive Safety Measure, to protect lives and (taxable) property...and besides, property rights are a figment of Reactionary imaginations, so can't be 'intruded upon'. Oh, and it's for The Cheeeeeldren! If it saves just ONE life...."
Sounds like a pretty clear violation of the first amdendment...
I know the only councilman that voted no is a Libertarian, city councilman Nick Taiber. Not sure about the others?
That’s right. I forgot about “the churldren”.
Just like everybody did with federal firearm laws, and federal farming laws...
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