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Eminent domain victim sends her worst wishes
Waterbury Republican-American ^ | December 21, 2006 | A.P.

Posted on 12/21/2006 8:42:35 AM PST by Graybeard58

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To: Graybeard58
"...but the bottom line is, it was over the top."

Uh...not really.

81 posted on 12/21/2006 9:11:41 AM PST by Recovering Hermit (There's another old saying Senator..."Don't piss down my back and tell me it's raining.")
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To: domenad

Over $400,000 for a junk house? She made out pretty good holding out. I'm sure her old neighbors feel like suckers.


82 posted on 12/21/2006 9:12:11 AM PST by baltoga
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To: Tall_Texan

Government officials or former _Pfizer Exec_.

This whole story angers me to my core.


83 posted on 12/21/2006 9:13:57 AM PST by steveyp
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To: The Lumster
"The developers who are getting this property will make $10's of millions, maybe hundred's of millions on the development. They should have been required to negotiate with the property owners through the free market."

That makes me wonder, couldn't she have sold the property with the requirement that she become a partner in the venture? Something along the lines of $400,000 cash for the property and 5% of gross on the development? If the property and eventual development stood to make so much money she could have arranged a deal that made her rich as well. Making a counter offer might also have helped her in court if the developer still attempted to seize the property.

84 posted on 12/21/2006 9:14:14 AM PST by T.Smith
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To: RockinRight

If I had a REAL choice in the matter, I'd ask for about ten times their offer (maybe more), as an initial bargaining position. Then I could, maybe, find out what it's really worth ...


85 posted on 12/21/2006 9:14:36 AM PST by ArrogantBustard (Western Civilisation is aborting, buggering, and contracepting itself out of existence.)
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To: ArrogantBustard

There was a trailer park down the road from me. It was built about 50 years ago when there was nothing much out here.

After the SCOTUS decision that trailer park went down like a rock. Some high-end condos are under construction there now.

What about the people who used to live in that trailer park? Oh, who cares, they're just white trash crackers.


86 posted on 12/21/2006 9:15:31 AM PST by Alouette (Psalms of the Day: 145-150)
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To: Tall_Texan
Let this happen to any one of these government officials before they lecture her on how she should feel.

I agree, what arrogance on the part of these officals. Not only did they steal her house from her, but they have the nerve to dictate how she should feel about it.

87 posted on 12/21/2006 9:16:25 AM PST by Red Boots
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To: steveyp
She was a lot more peaceful than I would have been. The city would have to go Rachel Corrie on me.

Remember that guy in Granby, CO, who got so fed up with the city council that he built an armoured shield around his bulldozer, got in it, drove downtown and destroyed city hall and the library ? It was a year or two ago I think.

88 posted on 12/21/2006 9:19:22 AM PST by Red Boots
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To: Alouette
What about the people who used to live in that trailer park?

What about them? If they OWNED the land their trailers were sitting on, they bloody well should not have been forced off THEIR land ... however small. Again, that's the sort of thing I more or less expect from the less-than-free governments on the other side of the pond, and the sort of thing that sent some of my ancestors here to the USA.

If they were renting the land their trailers were sitting on ... one of the unfortunate facets of renting is that you don't own ... the landlord does NOT have to renew your lease. I've been on the wrong end of that, aeons ago. I didn't bitch about it.

89 posted on 12/21/2006 9:21:24 AM PST by ArrogantBustard (Western Civilisation is aborting, buggering, and contracepting itself out of existence.)
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To: Freedom4US

After my mother died in June 2006, neighbors complained about the condition of her home. As personal representative for her estate, I tried to sell the house. I found several investors willing to buy the house for $40K and make necessary improvements. Neighbors, who want the lots for their yards, complained to the township which ordered the house be demolished. I attended township board meeting to appeal. That board "granted" me the opportunity to have a licensed builder present plans and $250 fee to request hearing before zoning board of appeals. That board granted variance with restrictions (ALL permits to be pulled within 30 days, all work to be completed in one year) to allow repair. My builder got cold feet.

I have had to contact other interested parties. The building inspector is intimidating prospective buyers with threats of inspecting every day, checking every single board that goes into the repairs, etc. He has told interested buyers that he wants the house demolished. He intends to harrass any new buyer.

This is an inverse condemnation situation, but it would cost more to litigate than the house is worth. I reached an agreement this morning with a buyer for $22K. That should cover my mother's funeral expenses, probate, and legal fees. For that I am thankful.


90 posted on 12/21/2006 9:21:39 AM PST by mouske
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To: Graybeard58
"It's amazing anyone could be so vindictive when they've made so much money,"

That's right, the heartache of leaving the place that's been home to the family for generations suddenly disappears when you throw money at it. What a sociopathic moron.

I wonder if he'd mind if Kelo strapped him down, cut his balls off, and threw $442,155 at him as she left. He shouldn't have a problem with that according to his criteria.

91 posted on 12/21/2006 9:21:39 AM PST by antiRepublicrat
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To: RightWhale

Wrong. A corporation is not a "public" entity, even if shares can be bought by the public. A corporation is an entity separate from the state. A corporation's property is private property not public property.


92 posted on 12/21/2006 9:22:58 AM PST by VRWCmember
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To: Freedom4US

I agree with you in one sense, but it's hardly "confiscation" when she's getting paid nearly 400% of the appraised value of her property.


93 posted on 12/21/2006 9:23:08 AM PST by Alberta's Child (Can money pay for all the days I lived awake but half asleep?)
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To: Alouette
I would be delighted to sell my house to the government for $300,000 above its appraised market value.

But then you're willing to sell, so there's no real problem.

94 posted on 12/21/2006 9:23:21 AM PST by antiRepublicrat
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To: ArrogantBustard

The trailer park was owned by one slumlord who was holding out for the biggest bucks. The poor shmucks who lived in the double wides were just tenants.


95 posted on 12/21/2006 9:23:42 AM PST by Alouette (Psalms of the Day: 145-150)
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To: fatnotlazy
That describes a house in Arlington, Texas when they put in a shopping center and a K-Mart and built around the house.
96 posted on 12/21/2006 9:23:57 AM PST by Deaf Smith
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To: T.Smith
That makes me wonder, couldn't she have sold the property with the requirement that she become a partner in the venture?

Sure - that would have been an excellent negotiating strategy. The only problem is the developers wouldn't negotiate. When the homeowners turned down their initial lowball offers the developers went to the city's economic development commission and convinced them to use emminent domain.

The homeowners could not win. They were forced to take the lowball offer from the city which was nowhere near true market value.
97 posted on 12/21/2006 9:24:10 AM PST by The Lumster (USA - where the innocent have nothing to fear!)
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To: Fierce Allegiance
"Why should the government be allowed to take someones home for private development?"

Because they have bigger guns.

The owners should at least get not only the full value of their property, but an equal amount stock in the stealing corporation.

98 posted on 12/21/2006 9:24:18 AM PST by Eastbound
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To: Eastbound

Should be, 'of stock.'


99 posted on 12/21/2006 9:25:40 AM PST by Eastbound
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To: Fierce Allegiance

I was going to ask that same question about whether this was the tax assessment value or the market appraisal value. Those are usually two very different things.


100 posted on 12/21/2006 9:26:09 AM PST by Emmett McCarthy
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