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[Roger Austin <raustin3 AT nc.rr.com>]

Marcia wrote:
> I was surprise to see how little coverage yesterday’s Supreme Court’s 
> decision; on allowing private corporations to request local governments to 
> seize people's homes and businesses, even against their will, for private 
> economic development!

 It was the top of CNN for a while. I think it got pretty high coverage.

> What ever happened to property rights; one of the keystones in America’s 
> Freedom? Do you mean to tell me that, after working all their lives, and being 
> able to retire, let’s say, at the beach, or anywhere else really, people can 
> now be forced out of their homes? Just because some builder decided that would 
> be the perfect spot for him to build a resort, or a mall?

 I don't think it was that surprising given that big business can
already exercise great power. City councils are so focused on
downtown renewal projects that they have forgotten that there are
citizens. Raleigh is a perfect example.

 I don't think this is a big decision. We already have few
property rights. Those we do have are controlled by the same
people who can change them. It doesn't have to be constitutional
or perfectly legal for you to suffer the consequences.

 I don't know anything about the New London case, but I wonder if
it any different than those people who lost their property in
downtown Raleigh to the civic center. Do you have the funds to
fight a long court battle over your property?

 In Raleigh, city inspectors can come on your property and cite you
for an almost infinite number of things and the council can force
you to make repairs or changes. In Cary, staff can define almost
everything on your property. In almost all places, they tell you
what you can build and how the infrastructure must be set up no
matter what you actually want. They tell you how high your grass
can be or if you can have a natural style yard. We as citizens
have asked them to do these things to protect our property values.
The rub is when they do it to you rather than your neighbor who
has a dump in his back yard.

 This decision will not change anything fundamental in property
rights. Those that you thought you had were an illusion.
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