Posted on 09/12/2003 8:56:23 AM PDT by tdadams
YOU FOLKS HAD BETTER BE PAYING ATTENTION TO THIS
I'm going to revisit the eminent domain issue again for a few minutes here so that I can share with you an incredible display of arrogance from an elected official.
As you know, I've been talking about a situation in Alabaster, Alabama where the city council of this community of 24,000 is trying to seize the property of about ten homeowners so that a shopping center featuring a Wal-Mart can be built there. The politicians say that it is perfectly OK to condemn and seize this property for a privately owned shopping center because, after all, the shopping center will generate more tax money than these private homes do.
We are seeing the evolution of a new standard for government seizure of private property. Its very simple. If some politician decides that your property would generate more tax revenue for government if it was owned by someone else, the politician can seize that property from you and turn it over to the government-preferred owner.
For our example of obscene government arrogance we turn our attention to Duncanville, Texas. Duncanville calls itself "A warm community of friends," and "A wonderful place to raise a family." Well, Duncanville may be a wonderful place to raise your family, just so long as some politician doesn't decide that the city could get more tax revenue if your home were to become a Costco.
Deborah Hodge has been living in her Duncanville home for 13 years. The Hodge property has a four bedroom house, a bar, pasture and swimming pool. It has been a family gathering place for over a decade. Just like the city motto says, "A wonderful place to raise your family."
A few months ago the city told Deborah to sell her property. They didn't ask her if she wanted to sell. They told her that she would sell. She would either sell, or they would just take it. The city, you see, wants a Costco store to be built on her land. The Costco would, after all, generate a lot more tax revenue than her little house and barn. So ... Duncanville is using its right of eminent domain to seize the property.
Now ... listen to this. These are the words of Duncanville city manager Kent Cagle. This is what Kent Cagle thinks about private property rights in America. Cagle told the Dallas Morning News "They don't have the option to say no to us. We have made it clear we want that property. The only thing that will be settled in court is how much we have to pay for it."
There is no freedom without property rights. What is it going to take to get Americans upset about this latest craze in local government revenue raising. You just identify the properties that could produce more taxes, seize those properties, and turn them over to developers.
Huh? So if the government said "we want a new highway and your house is in the way...get the f**k out" that's just peachy. But if the town wants to increase its commercial tax base by building a mall, that is "fascism". Welcome to Soviet Russia right here on FR. All bow to the government and its impartial wielding of "public interest" (which of course has NOTHING to do with campaign contributors, right?)
Of course none of you notice that I have never advocated either side in this dispute...I have argued that eminent domain, as established, is fundamentally flawed. Adios.
Of course none of you notice that I have never advocated either side in this dispute...I have argued that eminent domain, as established, is fundamentally flawed. Adios.
By private gain, do you mean Mr. Cagle personally stands to gain from his "powerplay", or that the City of Duncanville is looking to gain more tax revenues than they can get from Mrs. Hidge's property as is? Or, a combo of both?
I live on a small lake with no municipalities closeby. But hypothetically, let's say the county decided a marina-boat storage-restaurant-motel would pay more taxes than they could get from me and my neighbors. If they tried to use the "eminent domain" concept to let a developer profit from our private property while they raised their revenues, we'd get a good laywer, and fight the county like wildcats. I hope to die here.
The town of Alabaster is trying this ruse to get a Wal-Mart SuperCenter built in their town limits. And there is one already less than 10 miles south off I-65. The mayor wants more tax revenues and the developer wants a hefty profit.
You don't think the developer would accidently misplace some cash where the mayor could find it, do you? They only do that sort of thing in the movies, right? /sarcasm
I'm not saying that Mr. Cagle or the Alabaster mayor is a crook. But, some may doubt their motives are entirely for the public good.
That thought also came to mind when reading your apologias for this corruption (except that I used a lemur).
Correct. The mall developer has to buy land from willing purchasers.
I don't exactly equate the public good with shaving 5 minutes off your travel time to Wal-Mart.
There are some shenanigans going on here, and those defending it have made it clear they can be bought and sold. Thankfully, most of us can't be bought and sold.
I think the Stalinist resides in your mirror. You are after all the one who feels that government seizure of property for "eminent domain" is peachy keen.
Yes, property owners will then be viewed as potential terrorists, I'm sure. The government will then make sure to send in heavily armed LEOs to let them know they have 30 days or whatever to pack their stuff and get out.
Like auboy said, most of us can get good legal help, and I'd sure as hell be on the phone to the State AG's offices, Senators, etc., among others, saying "these people want to take my land and give it to Wal-Mart or whatever, so they can save a few minutes off their travel time, and the city can get a bit more in taxes, are you going to help me or do I need to go elsewhere (and mention you didn't help me, election year is around the corner)".
The whole point of the government in this country, from federal down to local, was originally to protect individuals. Funny how times have changed.
What's amusing, you won't find any big name celebrities or types like Jesse Jackson helping these folks.
I'm not an objectivist btw. My views are a mix of libertarian capitalism and social anarchism with a good dose of support for replacing our "democracy" with a "meritocratic republic."
Sloth is simply pointing out how easy it is to imagine you running around in a brown shirt terrorizing the citizenry into obedience.
Has your ebola mutated your brain so much that you can now post on FR?
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