New York City Invokes Eminent Domain to Acquire New Jersey

Watley Review ^ | 06/25/05 | Watley Review

[freedom44]

Buoyed by the Supreme Court's decision to expand cities' power of eminent domain, New York City filed today to acquire the state of New Jersey for commercial development.

"New York has been facing some very difficult economic decisions," said Mayor Michael Bloomberg. "Building viable economic development strategies for the city has been our number one priority. We think that the Supreme Court decision really opens a door for us, and will allow New York City to finally resolve some of these intractable issues."

The Constitution says government may take private property "for public use" if it pays the owners "just compensation." Originally, public use meant the land was used for roads, canals or military bases, or to clear blighted areas. In today's decision, the court went a step further and said officials need not claim they were condemning blighted properties or clearing slums. Now, as long as officials hope to create jobs or raise tax collections, they can seize the homes of unwilling sellers, the court said. This "public purpose" is a "public use" of the land, the court said in Kelo vs. New London.

"The Supreme Court decision makes it easier for us to justify this course of action in the name of economic development," said Bloomberg, "although actually we could easily have made the case that taking over New Jersey would be analogous to condemning a blighted property. I mean, come on. Have you been there lately?"

New York will compensate the current residents of New Jersey with "fair market value" for their property, a total amount estimated to be well within Bloomberg's ability to pay out of his own pocket. After evicting all current residents from New Jersey, New York plans to add a new Olympic stadium, a Trump apartment complex, international airport, and, most critically, a 4,000 square mile landfill.

"I have mixed feelings about this," said Newark resident Franklin Comstock. "On the one hand, I am not thrilled to be kicked out of my home and be paid pennies on the dollar for the privilege. On the other hand, New York is evicting our state government as well, every last official and bureaucrat. That is an immensely appealing concept."

Others are more concerned about the Supreme Court decision and New York's plans.

"The Supreme Court has really started down a slippery slope by expanding the definition of "benefit to society" which can be used to justify eminent domain ," said economics professor Brad Turkelson, of Cornell University. "Making way for an interstate or a military base is one thing. Making way for a new golf course is something entirely different. Where is this going to stop? What if they decide that eminent domain could be invoked for the moral benefit of society? Do we want to go there?"

If New York is successful, it would mark the first time that eminent domain was used to take over an entire state. Other states are reportedly watching New York closely, and may be considering takeover efforts of their own.

"Dibs on Nevada," said California Governor Schwarzenegger.

[Dashing Dasher]

Dibs on Mexico!?

[xcamel]

Like we don't have enough problems in NY already....

[ken21]

i like baja!

[tomkat]

Too bad this ED atrocity can't be reverse-engineered.
We could get rid of Philadelphia ...

[chilepepper]

why would *anyone* want new jersey???

[Dashing Dasher]

Good choice....

[TheGeezer]

Orange County, California invokes eminent domain to incorporate West Virginia

[SonOfTheRepublic]

Dibs on Washington DC, NO COMMUNISTS, LIBERALS AND SOCIALISTS ALLOWED, THAT INCLUDES YOU BILL AND HILLARY!

[RJL]

I'd guess that courthouses bring very little money into cities.

We need to use eminent domain on a few courthouses to show our displeasure.

[steve86]

Dibs on Mexico!?

Careful, former U.S. Attorney general Janet Reno says the eminent domain provisions of international law (the World Court) can be used by Mexico to recover its assets in the southwestern United States.

[SonOfTheRepublic]

Hilarious! Just Hilarious. Maybe America should seek to lay claim to jolly ol England under this absurd law....

[Lorianne]

Sheesh! I'm glad they didn't come after Hawaii.

[MozartLover]

lol ping

[Carpe Cerevisi]

Impossible. They don't carry guns in O.C. - but they shore do in West "by Gawd" Virginia.

[Dashing Dasher]

They'd have to sober up first.


//sorry that was mean...

[GoldwaterChick]

There goes the neighborhood!

[Popman]

Funny piece, if it wasn't such a serious problem.

This decision will be used by extremist liberals in state and local communities to remove corporations they don't want.

Example: Tear down Wal-Marts to make way for (so called) social beneficially programs like section 8 housing

Mark my words. Some loony liberal on a city council will try it

[EdHallick]

"Building viable economic development strategies for the city has been our number one priority."

Tell me about it Mr. freggin` RINO. Ever since you came to office the city has done every possible thing to take as much money out of my hands as humanly possible. If a week goes by that I don`t get some sort of money scam thrown from the city my way it`s a miracle. The latest being my parked car getting it`s side view mirror smashed off by someone overnight and getting not one but two tickets for it by the time I found out about it. And what happens when I plead not guilty? I get back a letter saying I am guilty and must now pay $110. F you, you freggin` RINO azzwipe! How Guliani can endorse this mutt is beyond me.

"My name is Mike Bloomberg and I am running for re-election"

[Mr. Jeeves]

why would *anyone* want new jersey???

Hey, it's a great place to build power plants and landfills. ;)

[Exit148]

Does that mean that I may have a chance to vote against Hillary?

[leprechaun9]

Let's see they got Manhattan for $24, so NJ should bring at least $10!

[Pharmboy]

Surprised you hadn't seen this

[JoeTN]

Wait a minute - we're looking at this in the wrong way.
The libs will have this backfire on them because now thousands of communities in Red states can simply take over local butcher shops (aka Planned Parenthood clinics) and replace them with something (anything) that doesn't remove future tax payers from their states.
I say make the rule work for us...

[eccentric]

Cuba

The USA got it after the Spanish American War. We need to reclaim it.

[Dashing Dasher]

If we take Cuba back - can we drown Fidel?

[river rat]

New York City should claim the U.N. site..

A VERY strong case could be made that ANY enterprise would benefit the city a HELL of a lot more that the bastards that currently squat in the building and leave their "dropping" all over town....

Semper Fi