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Posted on 08/20/2005 4:01:48 AM PDT by bad company
This is a WorldNetDaily printer-friendly version of the article which follows. To view this item online, visit http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=45851
Saturday, August 20, 2005
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- THIS LAND WAS YOUR LAND City wants back rent from Kelo residents Expects homeowners who lost case to pay hundreds of thousands
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Posted: August 20, 2005 1:00 a.m. Eastern
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- © 2005 WorldNetDaily.com In the adding insult to injury category, the city officials that triumphed over a group of Connecticut homeowners in a landmark Supreme Court property-rights case are expecting those residents to pay the local government rent dating back to the year 2000.
The June 23 Supreme Court ruling in Kelo v. City of New London gave the town the approval to seize the residents' homes and transfer them to a private party for development of an office complex. In the highly controversial decision, the justices ruled 5-4 that the economic development resulting from the eminent domain action qualified as "public use" under the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution.
The city now says that since it won the case, the homeowners actually have been living on city property since 2000 when it first began condemnation procedures against them, so they must pay back rent – to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
"It's a new definition of chutzpah: Confiscate land and charge back rent for the years the owners fought confiscation," wrote Jonathan O'Connell in the Fairfield County Weekly.
Not only is the city demanding rent, but the buyout offers on the table are based on the market rate as it was in 2000, before most of the growth in the current real-estate bubble.
The New London Development Corporation, the semi-public organization hired by the city to facilitate the deal, first addressed the rent issue in a June 2004 letter to residents, calling the alleged debt retroactive "use and occupancy" payments.
"We know your clients did not expect to live in city-owned property for free, or rent out that property and pocket the profits, if they ultimately lost the case," the agency said. It warned that "this problem will only get worse with the passage of time," and that the city was prepared to sue for the money if need be.
The Kelo case is named after Susette Kelo, who owns a single-family house in New London with her husband. Kelo was told she would owe around $57,000 in rent.
"I'd leave here broke," Kelo told the weekly. "I wouldn't have a home or any money to get one. I could probably get a large-size refrigerator box and live under the bridge."
Matt Dery owns four houses on the building site, including the home his 87-year-old mother was born in and still lives in. Dery's past-due rent, according to the city, exceeds $300,000.
It remains to be seen if a suit will be filed against the residents.
"From a political standpoint, the city might be better off trying to reach some settlement with the homeowners," Jeremy Paul, an associate UConn law dean who teaches property law, told the paper.
Related stories:
Souter-home seizer to meet with residents
Effort to take Breyer's home moving ahead
Justice Breyer: 'Not all our decisions are right'
Eminent domania comes to the movies
Eminent domania!
Souter-home campaign targets pols
Movement builds to seize Souter home
Souter suitor wants a real hotel company
Supreme Court justice faces boot from home?
Property battle heads to states
High court's property decision stirs anger
Court rules cities can seize homes
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Just waiting for the headlines about a lynching party...............
"It still only happens in third world countries."
We're getting there swiftly.
"The root cause of the problem here is the MORONS who ELECTED the flea brained officials in the first place. The officials cant help it, since they are just puss filled infections on society, they are just doing what comes natural."
I was reading in our local paper this morning that one of our local "leaders" wants to be re-elected in order to "re-vitalize" the downtown area. What she really means is she wants to run the old mom-and-pop businesses out (they've already done that with some of them) and move her financial friends in. Greed knows know bounds. Greed seems to be our countrys greatest product.
Been there for a while, now.
People are just starting to realize it.
Something along the lines of " what is the current commodity market value of lead "? I can't say any more, either.
When they say "Re-vitalize" they really mean transferring economic activity away from some other location.
If you want to see economic development, take a section of land somewhere, and remove all zoning restrictions, and allow for complete ownership, no ADA, no smoking restrictions (save for basic fire safety related issues), deed restrictions if desired, etc. Amazing things could happen if the do gooders got out of the way. They are half the problem.
[insert expletive] outrage bump
Please Freepmail me if you want on or off my infrequent Connecticut ping list.
Would it be murder, or a form of self-defense? I say the latter.
Unreal.
Talk about rubbing salt in a wound!
I never thought I would live to see the day something like this would happen in this once great, freedom loving country.
Not unlike how the federal government granted land, in the territories, to the railroads that led to the near extermination of the buffalo and the Indians. Now the white man preys upon himself.
And if one takes note, it can be seen that the minute a city or county government goes "co-ed", somebody is going to loose their home, farm or business "for the betterment of the community". Women politicians have less of a fear of going to prison for "interest conflicts" than do the men.
Too few folks are willing to fight for their freedom....they think "others" will handle it. Complacency Kills Freedom.
Language is inadequate to express the depths of my contempt for these vile, bloodless scum.
I agree. Freedom is merely a concept, that can be "killed" by simply forgetting it.
Can't wait to hear what the Isralis say when hamas sends them the bill.
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