Justice Breyer's Plainfield home eyed for 'Constitution Park'

Valley News ^ | July 28, 2005 | David Corriveau

[Past Your Eyes]

Justice Breyer's Plainfield Home Eyed for ‘Constitution Park' By David Corriveau Valley News Staff Writer Plainfield -- If the Libertarian Party of New Hampshire and its allies have their way, someday two stone monuments will stand on U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen G. Breyer's Plainfield property.

Short of that, the Libertarians hope to cause Breyer some discomfort for his vote last month on a controversial court decision freeing cities and towns to take land and turn it over to private developers. They are planning a petition drive asking Plainfield voters to take Breyer's 167-acre vacation retreat by eminent domain at their 2006 Town Meeting. After ousting the Breyers, the Libertarians would create “Constitution Park,” to include one monument commemorating the U.S. Constitution and another for the New Hampshire Constitution.

“The point is: What goes around, comes around,” Mike Lorrey, the Libertarian Party's vice chairman in New Hampshire's Second Congressional District, said yesterday. “This is a way of saying, ‘You’re going to be held to your own standard.' ”

Lorrey said that the effort follows up a California businessman's proposal to test that court decision by taking Justice David Souter's Weare, N.H., farm by eminent domain and replacing it with a posh “Lost Liberty Hotel.” Lorrey said that Edward Naile, president of the Coalition of New Hampshire Taxpayers, has recruited some Plainfield residents to go around town, seeking signatures of town voters. Naile did not return messages left for him yesterday.

[Past Your Eyes]

Hehhehheh. Make 'em squirm a little. I know right where this place is. I work for the electric co-op that supplies electricity to this place.

[LibFreeOrDie]

According to town records, the Breyer property is assessed at $617,300. Thanks to a current-use credit on the land surrounding the house, Breyer pays property taxes on $199,003 of the total value.

Them that has, gets...

[Past Your Eyes]

L'Chaim! Hello fellow citizen.

[ErnBatavia]

I work for the electric co-op that supplies electricity to this place.

If he's ever a day late in his bill, you know the drill.....

Pfffft. Lights out.

[FinallyBackInNH]

Hey, how do I get me one of them "current-use credits"??

[NormsRevenge]

Due to copyright, I guess they couldn't name it Jurassic Park in honor of the dinosaurs on the court today.

[Past Your Eyes]

My family has a lot of land in "current use". In fact we're looking at putting a bunch more flood plain land into that designation because the taxes are killing us.
Parcel has to be at least 10 acres. There are restrictions. Check at the town office.
There's nothing wrong with it. It promotes "open" land.

[LibFreeOrDie]

Howdy! It would be great if you could take a pic of the place and post it.

What ticks me off is that I have to pay taxes on the FULL assessment of my humble 1600 sq. ft detached condo - no land, while Breyer's final assessment ends up being less than mine for a 4,964-square-foot house and 167 acres!

[Past Your Eyes]

I may be able to do that. In fact I might just "find" myself over in that neighborhood next week. I'm pretty sure there's something there that requires my attention. As the minutes go by, I'm growing more and more sure of it.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

This is what it looks like from the air.

[LibFreeOrDie]

Looks like a nice place for a FReeper "Woodstock"...

[Past Your Eyes]

Plainfield is a very nice town. It's on the Left Coast of New Hampshire, next to the Connecticut River and the New Hampshire Grants. (Some people call it Vermont.)

[RoseofTexas]

"Breyer pays property taxes on $199,003 of the total value."



YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING!!!! 617,300 and he only pays property taxes of 199,003?? WHAT A FREAKIN farce!! A current-use credit on the land surrounding the house, WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?? How unfair, while the little folk like us, pay much more in taxes, while they the rich simmer in luxury and pay pittance! Ughhh!

[doctorhugo]

Hallelujah!! It has finally happened. The worm, having lain off to the side quietly and patiently, has turned..., morphed into a gaboon viper and struck with a sudden swiftness upon being agitated and provoked.

A great big WELL DONE to the New Hampshire Libertarian Party. They have taken the first step and decided that the USSC, in a participatory democracy, can be taught a lesson by a public butt-whipping and humiliation. They have set about to select the deserved Justice Breyer, one of the Supreme Gang of Five, for an exercise of What Goes Around Comes Around.

NOW,,,THEY need OUR HELP. FREEpers band together and use our collective power. I implore you to send an email to:

Chair of the New Hampshire Libertarian Party at
jbabiarz@lpnh.org/

and Cc: address the Media Director in that same email, at
rtomasso@lpnh.org/

and also include as Cc: addressee the Valley News editor's desk at
editor@vnews.com/

This should ensure that the local paper that broke this story and the organization who initiated the effort knows that this is an ISSUE OF COMMON AND NATIONAL CONCERN. I also would suggest that you mail informational links to your own personal mail groups/lists to help spread the word and insure a groundswell of response.

The text of my own email is as follows and feel free to use it or modify it to make your sentiments known:

---

Regarding>>> http://www.vnews.com/0782005/2535185.htm

Libertarians of New Hampshire, you are to be congratulated and supported. You have held to the high ideals of your state's motto of "Live Free Or Die". In a time when many only pay mere lip service to issues of concern you have stood tall by your bold actions.

Please accept this letter in the spirit given. It is so done in the realization that a lone voice in the wilderness may encourage others to cry out thereby creating a tumultuous and thunderous roar.
This Nation is now greatly polarized and finds itself at a crossroads. This is a manifestation of the United States Supreme Court having failed in it's inherent obligation to interpret the constitution and law for the betterment and benefit of ALL the people. This latest abomination, the extension of the interpretation of the Law of Eminent Domain to include property for "private" usage...., justified by the ends of alleged public benefit is a corruption of responsibility and exercise is pusillanimous prevarication and exposes the effect of the almighty $ in action.

Citizens of New Hampshire, you have taken the lead and we are supporting you without equivocation and independent of political affiliation. Remember, if there is NO sanctity in your personal property for which you have worked a lifetime to accumulate, then what of your personal freedom? I urge all my veteran and citizen friends to 'forward' this email to further garner support for this noble effort. All Ahead Flank!

Bob

[river rat]

If money is needed in this effort- --- I hope they make that need PUBLIC....

I'm confident, all the money needed to "take" this bastard's land could be raised in a "wink"....

Semper Fi

[lilylangtree]

Sounds like a winner!

[dalereed]

" I work for the electric co-op that supplies electricity to this place"

why does he still have electricity?

[Christian4Bush]

bttt

[Waco]

Oh, ah, didn't you see it? It's in the pantyumbra of the Constitution. Judge and reporters are in a class of special people",,exempt from most law. Keeps llokin, it's there.

[Past Your Eyes]

"why does he still have electricity?"---- Because I, like most conservatives, are law abiding citizens who respect rules and duly constituted authority. Not only that, I prefer to stay employed and unincarcerated, thank you.