City Bullies Property Owners

[Tee]

I am not a big fan of Eminent Domain, a system by which our city can forceable take your property or your home from you for the supposed overall improvement of the city as a whole, and pay you what they deem to be a fair price.

Politicians "in the know" have been known to buy property that they have prior knowledge of city/county planned improvements for the hidden agenda to profit from the eminent sale of the property to the city/county. So why can't long time legitimate owners profit in the same way from being forcably ousted from their home?

Personally, I think we should have to pay people three, four, or five times the assesed value for forcing someone to leave and give up their property to the city for improvement. I mean..HELLO...their home is not for sale, they didnt want to move. If they were happy with the assesed value, they would have their house on the market, right?

I think the right to own property is a right handed down through the ages and established by our founding fathers, a right that differintiates us from communist nations. If our governement is going to trample that right, then they ought to pay heftly for doing so - not just the "assesed value".

What's funny is, most of these people have been paying taxes on their property based upon a value much higher than the appriased value. Now the city is talking about having their property independantly appriased and paying the property owners based on that amount. Thats crazy! They dont want to move, that's gotta be worth something!

The commission unanimously approved an ordinance allowing the city to take early steps on condemnation on contested pieces of property in the phase two area. Citing eminent domain, Finley said 11 property owners were refusing to sell their properties for the assessed values.

"Most of the problems come back to price," he said.
Finley said some property owners are also demanding overhauls of parking or entrances that far exceed what would be considered a fair asking price.
Eminent domain allows the government to take property owners to court, hire an independent appraiser to determine the cost of a property, then pay the owner the assessed price.

Finley said it was necessary to pass the ordinance if the city wanted to get the second phase of the reconstruction under way by the deadline.

"We don't like to do this," he said. "There is a bit of a bad taste in people's mouths when it comes to eminent domain."

...and for good reason!

It cost a lot more to uproot and acquire another home than just the price of your property.

[Army_of_One]

I agree...eminent domain is very unpopular with the local citizen and taxpayer. Imagine if you have built that business for years or have done a lot of work to your house and you LIKE living in it. They should not be able to just come and take it and give you "fair market value". You can't put a fair market value on something personal. Sometimes there are things that just aren't for sale.

[Monster]

WOW. Shows how uneducated I am, I didn't realise that this kind of thing even happened.

Let's say I paid $100,000 for my house, and have lovingly spent time making improvements, setting it up how I want it, decorating it, and am very settled.

Now let's say that the local government decides the best place for (for example) a new casino would be on the site that my property sits. Are you suggesting that the local government could enforce a law that says I HAVE to sell my house to them for it's appraised value - which will almost certainly be not much more than I paid for it?

I thought that the way these things worked was that they would come to me and offer me a price, and I could say no. If they really wanted my house they would keep raising the offer until such time as I accepted (after all, every man has his price).

If what you are suggesting is true then I find it personally offensive that in the "land of the free and the home of the brave" we can be pushed out of our homes at the whim of those with ulterior motives.

Are these the freedoms that our boys overseas are getting killed for?

[lurker]

The caSINo property cannot be acquired through E-D. The Spatial Events center could.

[Army_of_One]

Originally Posted by Monster

WOW. Shows how uneducated I am, I didn't realise that this kind of thing even happened.

Let's say I paid $100,000 for my house, and have lovingly spent time making improvements, setting it up how I want it, decorating it, and am very settled.

Now let's say that the local government decides the best place for (for example) a new casino would be on the site that my property sits. Are you suggesting that the local government could enforce a law that says I HAVE to sell my house to them for it's appraised value - which will almost certainly be not much more than I paid for it?

I thought that the way these things worked was that they would come to me and offer me a price, and I could say no. If they really wanted my house they would keep raising the offer until such time as I accepted (after all, every man has his price).

If what you are suggesting is true then I find it personally offensive that in the "land of the free and the home of the brave" we can pushed out of our homes at the whim of those with ulterior motives.

Are these the freedoms that our boys overseas are getting killed for?

Just think if the house had been in family for a long time and had sentimental value.....all that would just be pfffffffft if the gov't wants to take it to build something they want.

[Zeb]

[q] Are these the freedoms that our boys overseas are getting killed for? [/q]


Exactlly and good point

[K C Muffin]

The City Fathers can choose to do this or not to do this. Emminent Domain isnt a popular choice. In fact, when the racetrack went in up here, most of the residents weren't happy with giving up their homes - same reasons, most were older and had lived there a long time. The City wanted the land so they could sell it to the race track venue. So they went back and negotiated a deal with the homeowners that the homeowners could make work for them and that was that. There's always an option besides eminent domain. If they want to be re-elected, they'll find an option. What a bunch of coots. How would they like it?

[Made in the USA]

Some of the "losers" on the first Wyatt Earp section made out like "bandits"!!

[Craigb]

WHO IN THE HELL IS "FINLEY"? And just what right does he have to even bring this governmental type of "THEFT" up at all? PEOPLE, remember those who are on the board or boards when its time for re-election!!!!! Eminent, Enema, or just plain B>S>. When any government wants to use this "LAW"???, it is just their way of taking something from someone when that someone does not want anyone to take anything from them! This in any other term would be called THEFT! And should be just as against the law as any other THEFT! This has been so abused by elected officials and their friends that it has gotten the bad name it deserves! Hell, just ask the person who once OWNED the land on which the treatment plant south of Dodge city, now sits on! HMMMMM! You might be shocked, and/or sickened! Honor to some, means nothing at all! And those who want to invoke this law, have none what so ever! That is very obvious! This and many other laws, should be repealed and done away with. Theft by any other name, is still theft!

[Bound]

Finley is an over paid, butt sucking, sleaze ball who treats anyone under him like he is their god. (Just my opinion) And yes it is theft!