California Man Guilty of Clearing Trees

Yahoo! News ^ | Sat May 24,12:50 PM ET | AP

[yonif]

VENTURA, Calif. - A man who bulldozed more than 300 oak trees on his property could face more than 3 years in jail after he was convicted on criminal charges.

William Kaddis, 58, could also face fines of nearly $100,000. He also was convicted Friday of illegally keeping 62 dogs on his property in the town of Ojai, altering a stream without permission and filing a false police report.

The oak trees, protected under a 1992 Ventura County law, were destroyed sometime before October 2001.

"This was the largest rape of land in the history of Ventura County, and if they think we wouldn't prosecute anyone who destroyed our environment, they're wrong," Deputy District Attorney Karen Wold said.

Kaddis' attorney Roger Diamond said he plans to appeal the decision unless he can reach an agreement with the Probation Department.

[Mr. Mojo]

A man who bulldozed more than 300 oak trees on his property could face more than 3 years in jail

Perhaps the judge can send him over to help the IDF with their bulldozing efforts in lieu of going to jail.

[Buckeroo]

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"This was the largest rape of land in the history of Ventura County, and if they think we wouldn't prosecute anyone who destroyed our environment, they're wrong" -- Deputy District Attorney Karen Wold

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In other words, you don't have permission to own property. Property is up to us, the state to dispense with.

[Mr. Mojo]

That's right. The State views us as property caretakers, not owners.

[demlosers]

This law is crap!

[Buckeroo]

In 1987, I was bequeathed by my grandmother (GOD BLESS HER SOUL) some property in San Bernadino County, Lake Arrowhead. This was undeveloped property that could easily be built upon.

In 1988, I found out that the county placed a "builder moratorium" upon all lots of the size of mine. Since then the county has levied all kinds of taxes against the property .... water, development, improvements .... and still, I can't build a cabin. I can't sell it, either.

I am currently in litigation about my property; the idea is simple: if I can't choose to dispense with my property because of law, why must I comply with law about any form of payment.

[11B3]

The People's Republik of Kalifornia strikes again.

[Mr. Mojo]

That is completely insane, and I wish you the best in court.

Are you not allowed to sell it, or are you just having a difficult time selling it?

[Buckeroo]

The property is worthless because of the counties moratorium. It can't be sold at REAL value .... I could get a six-pack of beer, if I chose ..... but I am hanging in the fight.

The outcome is worth more to me.

[Mr. Mojo]

Does that moratorium cover all similarly sized lots in the whole county, or just in the area near your place?

[Buckeroo]

Just the properties in Lake Arrowhead Manor. The original deed of trust permits cabins to be built.

[chance33_98]

I love it when liberals equate rape and cutting down trees - wonder how that makes rape victims feel.....

[goldstategop]

Liberals have just made it plain you only rent not own property in California and you can be prosecuted for doing what you think is your own thing on it. Lo and behold, 1984 is here.

[American in Israel]

Once America was a free country, we came here from Britain because the King said what the serf's could do on the property the State controlled, which the King informed the people of Britain was all of Britany.

When we built a home in America, the King insisted we paid very high taxes (10% or so) on imports like tea. We rebelled in the name of freedom and kicked out the king.

Unfortunately the King is back, and once again, American are mere serfs. But now the King informs us that we are free to pay the 50% taxes and we own our own land, so of course we must pay taxes on it too.

The illusion does get a bit thin when you try to change your own land though. Cut a tree, dig a pond, build a garage, hunt deer with out paying the king for tags...

[Susannah]

Of course. And many fabulous trees crashed through homes and landed on cars during the last series of wind storms. In some cases, the homeowners had notified the city that the trees were dangerous many times prior to the storms.

Please refer to this state as the Kingdom of California. We wouldn't want people to confuse "Republic" with "Republican"....masses of liberal Democracts at work.

[mvpel]

The tea taxes that sparked the Boston Tea Party were three pence per pound, or 3/240ths of a pound sterling, or about the price of a pound of good beef or half a pound of good American-made cheese.