The End of Private Property Rights in America?
Wednesday, January 3rd, 2007I’m not usually given to making such dramatic suggestions but I think it’s warranted in this case.
Bart Didden wanted to put a CVS pharmacy on his property in Port Chester, N.Y. He even obtained approvals from the local planning board.
But because a portion of the CVS site was in a blighted redevelopment zone, Mr. Didden was told that planning board approval wasn’t enough. He’d have to reach an understanding with a private company that had been selected by Port Chester officials to control all construction inside the renewal zone.
The developer, Gregg Wasser of G&S Port Chester, told Didden he’d have to pay $800,000 or give G&S a 50 percent stake in the CVS business. If Didden refused, Mr. Wasser said, he would have Port Chester condemn and seize his property and instead of a CVS he’d put a Walgreen’s drugstore on the site.
Let’s hope that the Supremes get it right this time. Let’s hope that they don’t have 5 liberal idiots rule like they did in Kelo v. New London. I’d doubt that the Founding Fathers would’ve thought that the taking of land for a developer’s profit is a legitimate use of eminent domain laws.
This also speaks volumes about the impact a liberal ‘make-it-up-as-you-go’ jurist can have on people.
Technorati Tags: SCOTUS, Eminent Domain, Senate Judiciary Committee], Constitution
Cross-posted at LetFreedomRingBlog