Today's Auburn Citizen posted an article about the eminent domain discussion surrounding Hilton Hotel's plan to build a hotel and conference center in downtown Auburn, New York.
According to the article:
"A reporting crew from Fox News Channel was in Auburn all day Wednesday to cover a proposal for a hotel and conference center for a series on private property issues.
"The proposal has become the center of a local debate in recent weeks because the developer is asking a city development organization to use eminent domain if the property owners at the site won't sell."
When did developers obtain the right to ask a city development organization to use eminent domain to force property owners to give up their property?
Also reported:
"Auburn Mayor Michael Quill also appeared in at least one segment, and was quoted saying that the city doesn't "want to hurt" business owners, but also has to look at the "long range for the entire community.""
This is very simple. Individual property rights are one of the tenets of the U. S. Constitution. The 2005 decision on the Connecticut case by the Supreme Court was wrong. It's time to undo it. The only reason the local politicians are supporting kicking out the current businesses is that they feel the Hilton Hotel, etc., will give them more money to spend. This is wrong and needs to be stopped. Just because my house or business is in a desirable location, I should not have to be in fear of my town government in cohoots with a developer taking my property from me and giving to another private owner. This is not what eminent domain was intended to cover. To take property for a road or a public purpose is one thing. To transfer private property from one private owner to another private owner without the first owner's consent is simply wrong.
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