Your land is their land -- Part 3

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 8/25/5 | Debra J. Saunders

[SmithL]

WHEN he first ran for Oakland Mayor in 1997, Jerry Brown painted a picture of the city he would like Oaktown to become. Brown's We the People Web site posted "Oakland Ecopolis: a Plan for a Green Plan" -- presented a new vision for Oakland. Under Brown, Oakland would not clamor for "mere economic growth," which causes environmental degradation. If elected, Brown would promote green jobs -- for artisans, gardeners, sailboat craftsmen.

"A baby smiles and a flower grows," read the plan.

Scratch that. Make it: A baby smiles, a flower grows, and city officials try to evict local artisans.

I visited the Fifth Avenue artisans enclave on the city's waterfront. Amid the funky homes and work spaces, where antique boats are restored and the giant baseball glove at SBC Park was made, resident and vintage-car restorer Terry Sanders pointed out an 1890 oyster dredge perched next to a one-story building. "Rumor has it, Jack London worked on it," said Sanders. "J. W. rescued it."

J. W. is J. W. Silveira, who owns the property. He must be some landlord to have inspired such tenant loyalty. When the Oakland City Council voted to exercise eminent domain on the Silveira property in order to clear the area for private housing development in 2001, 40-year tenant Charlie Weber fought back.

[hombre_sincero]

That is why they have such tyrannical gun-control laws in kalifornia.

Criminals don't like getting what they deserve.


One man says to a second man: "Do you believe in the First Amendment freedom of speech?"

The second man says: "Of course I do."

The first man then asks: "Do you believe in the Second Amendment freedom to bear arms?"

The second man replies: "No, I don't."

The first man insists: "Then shut up!"

The moral of the story is: you can have your rights, but you have to protect and defend them, too.

[Jaysun]

"A baby smiles and a flower grows,"

That sounds like LSD inspired hippie lyrics.

[theFIRMbss]

>That is why they have such tyrannical gun-control laws in kalifornia

Geez, the Middle East
is full of people shooting
each other for land.

It is a big world.
If the city wants to buy
your land, just sell it.

Get with the program.
Live somewhere else. Let nut jobs
murder over land!

[hombre_sincero]

Samual Adams had the answer to those cowards who would cower in the face of tyranny:


"If you love wealth better than liberty, the tranquillity of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen."
-- Sammuel Adams

[theFIRMbss]

>Samual Adams had the answer to those cowards who would cower ...

Yes. And the modern
world has an answer for those
nuts who fantasize

that politics is
an excuse to start shooting
fellow citizens.

[Onelifetogive]

If the city wants to buy
your land, just sell it.

Do YOU own any land? I'd like to buy it for $1. Just sell your land to me and move on! It is a big world.

[theFIRMbss]

>Do YOU own any land? I'd like to buy it for $1. Just sell your land to me and move on! It is a big world

"While many condemning authorities will make a fair purchase offer initially, some owners may not get just compensation," Lewis said. "We have been involved in thousands of these cases since 1960s and it is quite common for there to be disagreement about a property's value, or damages to the remainder of the property. ... Property owners who are facing eminent domain should consider hiring an appraiser experienced in eminent domain, Lewis said. If the offer is insufficient, the property owner should definitely appeal. As is typical in real estate transactions, the buyer rarely produces its highest offer in the initial stage of negotiations."

--------------------------------------------------------

You get fair value.
If you don't, you just haggle,
you don't start shooting!

[Onelifetogive]

As is typical in real estate transactions, the buyer rarely produces its highest offer in the initial stage of negotiations.

As is ATYPICAL of normal real estate transactions, if the government doesn't want to haggle, it can just take your land for whatever price it wishes.....

[yoswif]

I'll offer you $1 for all the property you own. Go ahead and pay a lawyer thousands of dollars. I and your lawyer will settle for his fee plus $1. That should get the price up to "fair value".

[Carry_Okie]

I love 5th Avenue. It's an amalgam of the last vestiges of a lifestyle that has existed in every major port for hundreds of years: the backwater of a port, the artist colony, the funky dive of the dysfunctional intellectual...

I had the privilege of living on the water with some of these people for nine years. Lifeboat Bill, Houseboat Bob, Petie Baker with his barge with palm trees and the wierdest crane you've ever seen on top... these are true characters who would never live in any other world. 5th Avenue is all that's left in the Bay Area. Sausalito is, by comparison, a charicature. 5th Avenue is the real thing.

For over thirty years, I've been watching the slow demise of this little world under the onslaught of container ports, restaurants, and thoughtless owners of plastic "yachts." I go down there from time to time, because the place is a treasure. I've taken my kids there for a little slice of reality before it dieappears. I made a brief attempt to save it. I'm not looking forward to its demise. God bless JW; I hope he can pull it off.

[Otis Mukinfus]

In Arlington, TX it has been revealed that the BUSINESS OWNERS (the people who stand to gain most from this travesty) in the area being acquired for billionaire Jerry Jone's Cowboy stadium have had their property appraised at a much higher value than the ordinary citizens who dwell in the area. Isn't that special?

[theFIRMbss]

>In Arlington, TX it has been revealed that the BUSINESS OWNERS ... had their property appraised at a much higher value than the ordinary citizens ...

Those darn businessmen!
After the Revolution,
when the country's run

by Soviets, then
ordinary citizens
will be protected!