What if They Made it Illegal to Rent Your House?

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota cities have circled the wagons in a controversial property rights case that pits municipal authorities against homeowners who are challenging the constitutionality of Winona’s rental ban before the Minnesota Supreme Court.

In re: “It should go for gov’ts as well.”

No; we, the taxpayers, should NOT charge ourselves taxes - which is what “taxing” governmental units on their fees would amount to.

“That re-defining of ‘exempt’ organizations is a terrific idea. It should go for gov’ts as well. :”

No, we should not charge ourselves taxes. The better “correction” for what you are referring to is greater privatization of some things the government now does.

I’m thinking of all the federal land held in the western states. The tax base is really constricted as a result. If the Federal Gov’t insists on holding those lands, there should be some kind of payment to those states for keeping them locked up. Then the eastern states, which already got the feds to release THEIR land, would have an incentive to do the same for the west.

“I’m thinking of all the federal land held in the western states.”

The solution to the issue of the federal lands held in the western states IS NOT for the federal government to make annual payments to the states for it.

The solution begins with the admission that the amount of land the federal government controls in the western states is (1) excessive and (2) mostly does not fit the Constitution’s definition of legitimate federal property, which is not merely control for control’s sake but must be serving a public purpose. Claiming mere control is for “the public trust” is a chimera and just another excuse for control. The intent of the foundations was that all legitimate federal property, of any kind, is property BEING PUT TO USE, not merely being held “for posterity”.

The federal government should be forced to determine what specific parcels of federal land in the west it has, or can and will put to “public use” and mere holding it in the name of the public IS NOT a public use. Then, among the remainder, 1/2 (within each state) should be returned to the states and 1/2 auctioned off, with proceeds helping to pay off some of the national debt.

This not just homes we are talking it is apartments too. You get in some people who have no regard for their neighbors and they make it tough to live there. The owner of the building in my case had notices given to several people giving them 3 days to change or be evicted. Peace and quiet was the result.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.