| Libertarian Party of NY -- Press Release -- NY Libertarians Back Federal Eminent Domain Reform Bill |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NY LIBERTARIANS BACK FEDERAL EMINENT DOMAIN REFORM BILL
Albany, NY 9/25/06 -- New York Libertarians are calling on US Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) to unblock legislation that would deny federal economic development funds for two fiscal years to governments that use eminent domain to transfer property to private developers. State Libertarian Chair Richard Cooper terms such economic development schemes “unconstitutional eminent domain abuse and legalized theft.” The “Private Property Protection Act of 2006” must be brought up for a vote by September 29th or die without action.
The NY Libertarians have been active on eminent domain cases with some partial victories such as St. Luke’s Pentecostal Church in Nassau County. Cooper and the Libertarians vow to fight eminent domain abuse wherever and whenever it occurs. Currently, they are most concerned about the Atlantic Yards Nets Arena in Brooklyn.
Libertarian US Senate candidate Jeffrey Russell declares that “The Fifth Amendment clearly limits the power of eminent domain to taking property for public use. It does not grant the government the power to take private property from one individual and give it to another individual. Governments should not be allowed to seize private property simply because they believe they can get more tax revenues. When property is taken for public use, the Fifth Amendment clearly states that there must be just compensation.”
Libertarian gubernatorial candidate John Clifton proclaims that "When property is not for sale, it should not be subject to being stolen. There should be no use of government at any level to seize private property to benefit private developers. From Nets Arena downstate to New York Regional Interconnect power line upstate, developers should acquire property the old fashioned way---through negotiation and purchase contract---and not through land-grabbing. Thou shalt not steal." –30-
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