Posted on 02/24/2005 2:57:19 PM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
NEW LONDON (AP) — Fifteen houses are all that remain of Fort Trumbull, a once vibrant immigrant neighborhood flattened into expanses of rutted grass and gravel.
The homes stand in defiance of New London's plan to pave the way for a riverfront hotel and convention center, offices and upscale condominiums.
Refusing the city's efforts to get them to leave, seven families are going before the U.S. Supreme Court tomorrow, arguing that the city has no right to take their private property solely for economic development. The rebellious homeowners include an elderly Italian immigrant, a mechanic and a former deli owner.
"It's a case of the rich eating the poor," said Matthew Dery, who lives in one of four houses on a compound his family has owned since 1901. "Sometimes the poor are difficult to digest."
Leading the charge is Susette Kelo, a 47-year-old nurse who bought her home in 1997.
"They have over 90 acres now," Mrs. Kelo said. "It's more than enough room to build on. We never said they can't build. We just said, 'We want to stay.' "
But Mrs. Kelo's apricot-colored house, with a decorative outhouse in the front yard and wind chimes made of silverware, doesn't fit in the city's development plans.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
PING!
Har, hardie, har. You must have been asleep the last 20 or 30 years.
Property owners should have some rights. I have seen all too many occassions where governments have literally stolen the land that was maintained by families and farmers for generations all to appease a campaign contributor who would rather destroy a good neighberhood than go into a bad one to rebuild it.
God Bless these families and the best of luck in winning.
I would love to see the bureaucrats taken down a notch on this issue.
This reminds me of something that happened in Minnesota a few years ago. Richfield forced a large car dealer off of his property to make way for construction of the Best Buy corporate offices. Imminent Domain was the tool they used. And I believe it was only after the car dealership was moved that the courts determined it was an improper use of the power. Does anyone else remember that case. Maybe I'm getting my facts mixed up, but I'm pretty sure the decision was came too late.
What do they expect, the live in "Liberal Land". Socialists want to get their way at any expense.
D12 ROCKS!
Please Freepmail me if you want on or off my infrequent Connecticut ping list.
The municipal golfcourse in Coatesville Pa. comes to mind here too. The taking of your property for a golfcourse is...........well, it's why we have a second amendment.
Yeah, one would think that since it is specifically enumerated in the Constitution. But the courts are into the greater good for the largest pockets these days.
5A is pretty clear. Using ED to take private property from one person to give to another for its use as private property is unconstitutional.
What say you?
No further questions.
Even though I live in a Democrat State I still have more power to influence my State Legislature and thereby defend my rights. Leaving the definition of our rights to lawyers and a handful of black robed judges is more dangerous than trusting the people to over see the State government.
Ditto! I hope the SC gives those smarmy developers a tongue-lashing they won't soon forget. If we don't have property rights, what DO we have? Not much. And those developers are just being cheapskates, IMHO. If they had simply offered those homeowners *enough* money, they would have sold. Instead the developers are trying to do it on the cheap with eminent domain.
Property owners have rights. What property owners don't have is an honest Supreme Court. At least in the majority.
This nation was not founded "...to pave the way for a riverfront hotel and convention center..."
The communists who thought up this idea should be deported.
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