Posted on 11/23/2005 8:26:13 AM PST by Osage Orange
A sad display by OSU
By Tamara Colbert Maschino
My mother recently received a letter that has shattered her belief in the justice of the world. For more than 50 years, my family has owned a home in Stillwater that has been the center of my mom's universe, a home where she raised children, a home that has provided shelter and comfort in our family's lives. A home she has recently completed remodeling and lovingly cared for with the hopes of staying in it for the rest of her life.
A short paragraph in a cryptic certified letter stated, "The Oklahoma State University Foundation has hired Cinnabar Service Company to assist them in acquiring land, and improvements for the proposed Master Plan, expansion of the existing campus." My mother, a senior citizen, called me with questions. She didn't understand what the letter meant. She was justifiably upset. The letter didn't contain any information on what was happening to her neighborhood.
I began to research and discovered that our beloved home was on a list to be acquired to build a sports complex. Is this how the city of Stillwater and Oklahoma State University reward its longtime residents and senior citizens, by depriving them of the homes they have worked hard for? How callous a method of informing residents. It's appalling.
The speed of the acquisition timeline is truly frightening to our family. Is OSU in the business of tossing seniors out of their homes? My mother purchased this home with my father when she was 21. She is now 77. She has lived in that house for 56 years and raised three children there. She had tears in her voice when she asked me how could they condemn her home when it's so well maintained.
My family was in Stillwater for the OSU homecoming activities and the football game. My mother prepared an early Thanksgiving dinner for my brother and me and we had a wonderful family weekend. I couldn't have believed that could have been the last Thanksgiving meal our family would ever enjoy in our home. Will this also be our last Christmas in our family home?
An official with Cinnabar Services told me the timeline for taking my mother's home and her neighbors' would be by June 1, and that OSU has this right because of eminent domain.
Where is my mother going to move? She's a senior citizen, she never expected to be forced from her home at this stage in her life. I am disgusted by this. Shame on you, city of Stillwater, and shame on you Oklahoma State University. If you're a homeowner in this large affected area, now is the time to say no, we will not be leaving our homes.
Thank a liberal or a nanny stater.
Every time I see something done for "the public good," I cringe. It means that someone is profiting at the expense of other individuals using the government as a weapon to do so.
They are organizing, at least from what I've heard on local news. It does no good to organize, though, without getting the word out, and that means going public with their woes. In my opinion, these are NOT "whiners," but people who want to be left alone in their homes. I'm furious with OSU.
ping
Isn't Sandra Day O'Connor from Ok. I bet you her homestead is not in jeopardy from Kelo. I pray daily to keep Chief Justice Roberts and Candidate Alito wholesome from the creeping rot in DC.
Perhaps Grandma didn't realise that any homes had been previously taken in this manner. I hate the Eminent Domain right. She has lived in this home for 56 years. I don't believe it's right to take it, even if they pay her fair market value. Why work all your life for your piece of the American Dream when, in your golden years, it can be taken from you so easily? Very sad commentary on the state of our culture today.
No. She's from Arizona.
And therein lies the warning to us all. Until there are constitutional protections, anyone with property within bulldozer distance from a public or quasi-public facility had best pay attention to the planning process and raise their objections early. For example, I wonder for how many years was this neighborhood targeted in this plan or previous versions? Conversely, if the plan was recently altered, you might find the basis to object to the taking by asking why was it changed?
I tend to think that those effected have organized...and this letter was just part of the process.
I could be wrong....and will try and follow this story.
FWIW-
Construction of freeways, or airports and even schools are often legitimate reasons for eminent domain.
But the use of e.d. for a private development (as in Conneticutt) is not. This case seems to combine questionable tactics and methodology with what may or may not be a legitimate use of e.d. But anyone who lives near a major University should be aware that expansion is highly probable.
Good post.........
Of course that's an originalist POV, not a Republican or Democrat one.
There is PLENTY of open, empty land around Stillwater for the dorks running the university to build anything they want, sports facilities included.
Since when do OSU athletics justify eminent domain anyway? Didn't they just modify their rickety stadium and Gallagher Iba Arena? Is T. Boone Pickens behind all this???
This news steams me.
I wouldn't move. Put an old woman out of her home? Let them try. I personally would not budge. This is NOT America this is SOCIALISM. Plain and simple. Follow the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
She dissented in that case. Check your facts.
Sure...I can agree with that. But...it should be done fairly...and it should be done rarely.
But the use of e.d. for a private development (as in Conneticutt) is not. This case seems to combine questionable tactics and methodology with what may or may not be a legitimate use of e.d. But anyone who lives near a major University should be aware that expansion is highly probable.
For crying out loud, it's not for a research lab to cure DemoMarxistLeftishSocialistLiberalism..It's for a sports complex.
Unconstitutionality squared - the government shouldn't be in the education business to begin with, and to then exercise eminent domain based on that, for a sports complex no less? Abominable.
After all sports do so much for the "public good".
Couldn't agree more...
ooops...
NO. The bill of Rights does not establish rights of freedom from federal government only. Rather it establishes an umbrella of guarantees that extend to all citizens and are the basis on which states can join the union. Thus the justice department can and does enforce the rights against cities and states who violoate them.
Well, the bottom line is that OSU's acquisition of your grandmother's house will mean more revenue for them.
When you're packing all her stuff to move out, just remember all the good lefty programs that all that money will be sent too - things like grants for research into dog bites and stuff like that.
And how did you come to this conclusion? Crystal ball, gut feeling, or just pulling it out of you butt. I will take the same assumpative attitude that you took with her, you are probably a loser.
I have no evidence of that but the statement holds as much water as your previous statement.
Double zikes!.....
Which is why I said: "with what may or may not be a legitimate use of e.d."
Apparently there are those who feel it is a legitimate use. I do not have enough information to make that assessment.
You have to understand that the OU and OSU football teams, thanks to Barry Switzer and various "alumni", are semi-pro teams with a school in the same town. I could make a reasoned estimate that 70% of OU "alumni" have never ever actually been to a class on campus.
Angry_White_Man_Syndrome (my husband) is a student at OU.
OSU probably could have gotten away with this even before Kelo because it's a public university so the sports complex could be seen as in the public interest.
The States case just took a huge hit, IMHO.
> our beloved home was on a list to be acquired to build a sports complex.
Once more... jocks and their sycophants acting like thugs.
Sigh.
When was the last time a university tried to take peoples homes to build a new physics department?
As for the 14th Amendment (which statists always run to next), the intent was not to incorporate the Bill of Rights. This is evidenced by the fact that none of the original 10 Amendments were incorporated to the states until the early 20th century
If I said what I had originally written, it wouldn't sound very nice. I would be accused of just being a Sooner fan.
That said -- this is crap. The President they hired from Texas Tech they should send packing. Wonder if this is why the Athletic Director quit this fall?
Will make this short -- at OU they have built some of their athletic facilities away from the Main Campus like baseball, basketball, soccer fields. Why does OSU have to have the Athletic facilities all in the same area? The town of Stillwater is surrounded by vacant land for miles and miles. What a way to pay back the citizens of Stillwater for increasing their tax for the OSU athletic facilities -- take their homes.
Maybe what this OSU President should do is concentrate on the academic side for awhile and spend money there. There are four big guns in the Big 12 with large fan/donor bases -- OU, Texas, Texas A&M, and Nebraska. The other eight schools do not have the same type of base and some concentrate on other sports.
OSU President wants OSU in that upper echelon but he doesn't have either the donor or fan base to support. Even with the renovation to their football stadium which they had to stop due to lack of funds it will still only seat a little over 50,000. Couldn't believe when the people of Stillwater voted to increase taxes for athletic facilities.
Love football and am a season ticket owner for OU football games but I would never have voted to raise taxes to fund the athletic program. I did donate to the Reach for Excellence Campaign for OU academics along with their Athletic Donor campaign but that was my choice.
I'll bet you a bucket of pin oak acorns...!! (g)
FRegards,
Yes......I noted that.
My "for crying out loud" statement....was a general one. Not meant as a response directly to your post. Sorry for that misunderstanding....
FWIW-
Thank you for the excellent insight. I expected nothing less when I sent out the ping. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
True, but property owners do not have to accept the initial offer for their properties. Eminent Domain seziures can be successfully appealed for (in most cases) a lot more than the initial offer.
What most folks don't realize is that appeals can be based on the future value of the proposed project that is the basis of the seziure. In cases that are appealed on that basis land owners can often reap as much as 10 to 15 times the initial offer.
Every one affected by this needs to enlist the services of attorneys who specialize in eminent domain cases.
Take care
Thanks for that, I was not aware of the magnitude of the potential increase.
Every one affected by this needs to enlist the services of attorneys who specialize in eminent domain cases.
Sound advice, and far better then what some other reactions may be.
That is my Prayer.
And I can point to dozens of people who, although they have never been closer to a classroom than to drive down Lindsey Ave, speak of OU football in the first person plural. "We" and "Our". My point is that there are thousands of people around here that are so shallow that they must live vicariously through a school's sports team. The idea of flattening an old woman's home to build a parking lot for drunken high school dropouts makes perfect sense...
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
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