Sept. 29, 2004 - 14:14 MDT

THE WONDERING JEW

Is Theirs

Have a moment or two and on reading this mornings Rocky Mountain News there is an article by Gina Holland of the Associated Press -- in full:

Court to hear land seizure case

"WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court agreed Tuesday to decide when local governments may seize people's homes and businesses against their will to make way for projects such as shopping malls and hotel complexes that produce more tax revenue."

"The Court already has given governments broad power to take private property through eminent domain, provided the owner is given "just compensation." This often involves blighted neighborhoods residents are eager to leave."

"But in recent years more cities and towns have been accused of abusing their authority, razing nice homes to make way for parking lots for casinos and other tax-producing businesses."

"If you own a home, if you own a small business, this could directly affect you," said Scott Bullock, senior attorney for the Institute for Justice, a Washington public interest law firm representing the land owners."

Susette Kelo and several other home-owners in a working-class neighborhood in New London, Conn., filed a lawsuit after city officials announced plans to bulldoze their homes to clear the way for a riverfront hotel, health club and offices. The residents refused to budge, arguing it was an unjustified taking of their property."

"The state Supreme Court agreed with New London, ruling 4-3 in March that the mere promise of additional tax revenue justified the condemnation."

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My opinions: From things I have read for years, this "just compensation" has been a method for the big boys to screw property owners out of their property for small compensation. My idea is that those who the property is "given" to should pay said increase of taxes directly to the former owners for their lifetimes. Then and only then could the increased taxes go to the city, town or state who is so eager to condemn.

Along with that I have read that "blighted" is a definition that is usually interpreted in favor of those who want the land for their profit.

That last bit, "the state Supreme Court agreed with New London, ruling 4-3 in March that the mere promise of additional tax revenue justified the condemnation."

It looks to me that financial powers are trying to get what they want, when they want it even when the owners of the land are faced with a decades long lawsuit trying to get their "just compensation."

So what you hold title to is yours until moneybags want it and then it Is Theirs . . . . . . . . . . .

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