February 1,
2015
From: The Federation of Connecticut Taxpayer
Organizations
Contact: Susan Kniep,
President
Website:
http://ctact.org/
Email: fctopresident@aol.com
Telephone: 860-841-8032
Congratulations to the
Citizens of Stratford
in Their Recent Defeat of Eminent Domain
- As noted within News Articles Below -
The Federation extends its Congratulations to the residents
of Stratford for their successful defeat of a proposal
to allow eminent domain which could have resulted in the personal loss of
homes, businesses, and land by concerned taxpayers in that town. Although we oppose Eminent Domain, most
egregious was that the proposal was not specific to any one property and as
such could have impacted every property in the town, as “The town attorney
didn’t detail which land they’re interested in”.
It is apparent that property owners throughout the State and
the country must be forever vigilant as those elected to safeguard our
interests, could instead be working against us in an effort to either directly
or through private interests confiscate our
most prized possessions, our homes, farms, businesses, and land.
The following lends insight into a state proposal which the
Federation had addressed in 2012.
The following provides a history of the issue of Eminent
Domain in CT and its impact throughout the country as some officials in
Washington are currently promoting the
Keystone Pipeline allowing a foreign interest to take the homes, businesses,
farms and land of American citizens in its path.
The Battle launched by Susette Kelo, her neighbors, supporters, and the Institute for
Justice over 10 years ago rejuvenated Americans throughout the country in a
quest to preserve their property rights when the long arm of government
attempted to seize their homes and properties from them. As detailed within New London , Connecticut | The
Institute for Justice…..
The fight over Fort
Trumbull eventually reached the U.S. Supreme Court, where the Court in 2005, in
one of the most controversial rulings in its history, held that economic
development was a “public use” under the Fifth Amendment to the U.S.
Constitution. “The Supreme Court’s 5-4
decision against Kelo
and her neighbors sparked a nation-wide backlash against eminent domain abuse,
leading eight state supreme courts and 43 state legislatures to strengthen
protections for property rights. Moreover, Kelo
educated the public about eminent domain abuse, and polls consistently show
that Americans are overwhelmingly opposed to the Kelo
decision and support efforts to change the law to better protect home and small
business owners. Moreover, citizen activists have defeated 44
projects that sought to abuse eminent domain for private development.
Today, the battle to protect property rights has resumed as
a foreign company, with the support of some members of Congress, is opening the
door to seize the homes and properties of American citizens throughout the
country.
The following lends insight into …..
|
PIPELINES VS PROPERTY RIGHTS
|
|
The
Eminent Domain Battle is Rejuvenated as a Foreign Company with the help of
Congress pursues properties owned by Americans
The Federation Plus - Many News
Publications - Feb 2015
|
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From StratfordStar.com
Council hears people, kills eminent
domain power expansion
By Greg Reilly on January 27, 2015
Business News, Goverment Meetings, Latest News, Lead News, Property Transfers · 15 Comments
Stratford residents held
“No Eminent Domain Abuse” signs as they awaited the public hearing Monday night
about Stratford’s
proposal to expand its powers.
UPDATED Tuesday, Jan. 27, 4:20 p.m. It was
unanimous on two fronts.
Twenty-one Stratford
residents spoke against expanding the town’s eminent domain power, and no one
spoke in favor of it.
Eight town council members voted as members of the Ordinance
Committee against the eminent domain power expansion, and not one voted for it.
With that committee vote, a council proposal to allow the
town to take property by eminent domain for the purpose of private development
was killed. It will see no further action.
The Ordinance Committee meeting was held at 7 p.m. Monday
night during a town state of emergency, two hours before cars were to be off
all roads in the state by order of Gov. Dannel
Malloy, and immediately following a relatively strong uproar registered by
email and comments on this website expressing unhappiness with the fact that
the meeting was not postponed due to weather.
Continue reading at …
http://www.stratfordstar.com/32392/council-hears-people-kills-eminent-domain-power-expansion/
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Stratford looking to loosen eminent
domain laws
WTNH
By Stephanie Simoni,
WTNH Reporter Published: January 12, 2015
STRATFORD, Conn. (WTNH)– The Stratford
Town Council is looking to loosen their eminent domain law at a meeting Monday
night. Members are asking their constituents, “Right now, is
economic development such a high priority that they want us to have that power,
or would they rather not?”
Town
Attorney Tim Bishop said the town had a knee-jerk reaction in 2006, after the
owner of a little pink house took on New London
at the U.S. Supreme Court in
Kelo vs. the City of New London. The Justices decided it was legal
for a municipality to take private property for economic development purposes.
In light of this, Stratford’s
Town Council passed a statute.
“This
statute basically told the public that here in Stratford we’ll never do that,” said Bishop.
Now, council
member Jason Santi is exploring the idea of loosening
the law. The town attorney didn’t detail which land they’re interested in, if
any.
http://wtnh.com/2015/01/12/stratford-looking-to-loosen-eminent-domain-laws/
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