Please forgive me for taking a month to respond to your comment. I have been busy on my new blog at http://eminentdomainlady.typepad.com I invite you to visit there for on-going information. The reason is simply that Typepad has more technological versatility that will enhance the blog.
I am puzzled by your statement that my last name scares you. One side of my family has lived in the US since the time of the American Revolution, the other since before the Civil War. I happen to have married an Italian citizen many years ago, and when we divorced, I kept the name since it was also the name of my children. I hope that solves your dilemma.
The observation you make in your comment about the original intention of our forefathers' inclusion of a provision for eminent domain takings in the Constitution is very astute. I'm sure they would turn in their graves if they knew what use has been made of it. It was originally meant to provide a means of obtaining property for projects that were truly for the public good, and they hopefully believed that the owners would be paid an actual fair market value, and not a pittance. It was never intended to benefit private concerns as has happened all too often.
In my library talk in Camden last week I was sadly surprised to find that many intelligent and educated people still cling to the trust that eminent domain is only invoked for actual necessary government use.
The new blog is entitled Eminent Domain - the Human Cost and that is the focus of the blog. What happens to the people who are victimized? What happens to the fiber of their families?
Any of you who are still visiting this site, please check the new one. I will tune in here from time to time to check for stragglers.
Jean Boggio, The Eminent Domain Lady
Monday, June 9, 2008
Thursday, May 8, 2008
MORE LINKS
Just to update everyone -- I spent some time today downloading information from all over the country on eminent domain, which I will study over the next few weeks. Meanwhile, here is another URL to investigate. http://www.nationaleminentdomain.com
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
EMINENT DOMAIN REVISITED - Midwest Book Review
I am very grateful that the benchmark publication for small presses has reviewed my book and found it worthy. Their end statement is that the book "is highly recommended for any biography collection and for anyone who wants a look at the shadier practices of the government against it's own citizens."
This was echoed in the intro given by Amazon when it appeared there on the review site for the book. It also moved the book to the first page when one searches for 'eminent domain' on Amazon.
You can read the full review on my site http://www.jeanboggio.com/, on Amazon, or on the site of Midwest Book Review www.midwestbookreview.com then click on their Small Press heading.
The fact that this prestigious review source as well as others have focused on the eminent domain aspect of STOLEN FIELDS, has given me a mandate to become involved. I intend to do so. I'm not sure where this will lead at present, but it will surely lead to another book in time.
I have resisted involvement in the past because I owe a debt of gratitude to eminent domain as I would not be here if my grandfather had not lost the Neville Island farm. My mother would never have met my father. So much of our existence is chance.
But that doesn't negate the wrongness of this practice when it's invoked for the gain of big business.
I understand that there are times when the government might need certain properties to create some entity that will benefit the many, in which case they should give just remuneration to the property owner. That seemed to be the case when the Neville Island farms were taken ostensibly to build a munitions factory. But why then, when the war ended, couldn't the farmers just get their land back in exchange for the pittance they had been paid? The Hamilton family was more than willing to lend their land to the government -- that offer was rejected. Because other interests were at work. Big business was the big winner.
I was reading a little today about the details of the Kelo case in New London, CT. The developers will be able to lease the land obtained from Kelo through eminent domain, for $1.00 per year for 99 years. The city will own the land, while the developer builds and sells houses and commercial buildings on it. The new owners will never own the land. That means the city can step in and take those houses to build something else that strikes their fancy! Amazing! And people stand for this!
Please write your comments, contact me, whatever it takes. The people of this country need to understand that this has been going on since our country was founded and it is no different today -- except that the terms become more outlandish! Contact me. I will get back to you.
This was echoed in the intro given by Amazon when it appeared there on the review site for the book. It also moved the book to the first page when one searches for 'eminent domain' on Amazon.
You can read the full review on my site http://www.jeanboggio.com/, on Amazon, or on the site of Midwest Book Review www.midwestbookreview.com then click on their Small Press heading.
The fact that this prestigious review source as well as others have focused on the eminent domain aspect of STOLEN FIELDS, has given me a mandate to become involved. I intend to do so. I'm not sure where this will lead at present, but it will surely lead to another book in time.
I have resisted involvement in the past because I owe a debt of gratitude to eminent domain as I would not be here if my grandfather had not lost the Neville Island farm. My mother would never have met my father. So much of our existence is chance.
But that doesn't negate the wrongness of this practice when it's invoked for the gain of big business.
I understand that there are times when the government might need certain properties to create some entity that will benefit the many, in which case they should give just remuneration to the property owner. That seemed to be the case when the Neville Island farms were taken ostensibly to build a munitions factory. But why then, when the war ended, couldn't the farmers just get their land back in exchange for the pittance they had been paid? The Hamilton family was more than willing to lend their land to the government -- that offer was rejected. Because other interests were at work. Big business was the big winner.
I was reading a little today about the details of the Kelo case in New London, CT. The developers will be able to lease the land obtained from Kelo through eminent domain, for $1.00 per year for 99 years. The city will own the land, while the developer builds and sells houses and commercial buildings on it. The new owners will never own the land. That means the city can step in and take those houses to build something else that strikes their fancy! Amazing! And people stand for this!
Please write your comments, contact me, whatever it takes. The people of this country need to understand that this has been going on since our country was founded and it is no different today -- except that the terms become more outlandish! Contact me. I will get back to you.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
EMINENT DOMAIN
What is it? It's the venue whereby the government is allowed to seize property belonging to an individual for the public good, paying a government-determined price for remuneration. Often it ends up benefitting the interests of private industry.
It happened to my ancestors. It still happens today. It can happen any time. In the words of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, "The specter of condemnation hangs over all property. Nothing is to prevent the state from replacing any Motel 6 with a Ritz-Carlton, any home with a shopping mall, or any farm with a factory."
When I first wrote "STOLEN FIELDS," I felt that eminent domain was an important issue for my family. However, as I'm out and about and meeting more people, I'm finding that it touches many more than I had imagined, and is still that looming specter today. It has recently affected a family-owned business in Bucksport, Maine whose restaurant was razed to make way for a new bridge. The bridge was necessary as the old one had become dangerous. However, the government did not pay the appraised real estate value for the business that had been in the family for 50 years, and at the end of the day, it land it had stood on was not needed after all for the approach to the new bridge. This was the experience of the Dyer family of Bucksport. The fight continues in the court for just remuneration.
My neighbor has told me that her grandfather's farm was taken to make way for a golf course. The lady I met today at the Portland Public Library told me that her family had been affected. My daughter told me, also today, that the State of Maine has just announced that it will invoke eminent domain to obtain lands it needs to build a new super highway. It can happen anyplace, anytime. Everyone's American Dream of property ownership can be threatened in a sudden flash.
Those who have not been affected remain complacent. Yes, it happens -- to someone else. Until it happens to them.
I am including Castle Coalition's blog that provides up-to-date information on what's happening around the country. This website is sponsored by the Institute for Justice.
http://www.castlecoalition.org
My ongoing opinions and findings from the human viewpoint as I tour various areas of the country and talk to people and learn of their experiences will be presented. This is about government and big business. It's also about people. It affects people. My book, STOLEN FIELDS, tells about the effects it had on my family. Some lives were destroyed -- but not all. What is the human cost? The experiences of other people will be presented as we go along.
Please post your comments for others to share. This is an important issue not only yesterday as it affected my family, but today as it could affect yours ---- and tomorrow -- your children and grandchildren. I am still learning about it, but I intend to become knowledgeable.
Yes, the government may need certain properties to build things that benefit the greater number of people. But it needs to pay a fair price. The Dyer family worked all their lives, building a popular and successful business. It was on valuable deep-water riverfront property. The government paid them a fraction of what it was worth. I don't know how many family members were counting on the true value for their support in their golden years, or if there was another generation waiting in the wings to carry on, but what they were paid amounts to nothing.
http://www.jeanboggio.com/ or http://www.colerithpress.com/
It happened to my ancestors. It still happens today. It can happen any time. In the words of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, "The specter of condemnation hangs over all property. Nothing is to prevent the state from replacing any Motel 6 with a Ritz-Carlton, any home with a shopping mall, or any farm with a factory."
When I first wrote "STOLEN FIELDS," I felt that eminent domain was an important issue for my family. However, as I'm out and about and meeting more people, I'm finding that it touches many more than I had imagined, and is still that looming specter today. It has recently affected a family-owned business in Bucksport, Maine whose restaurant was razed to make way for a new bridge. The bridge was necessary as the old one had become dangerous. However, the government did not pay the appraised real estate value for the business that had been in the family for 50 years, and at the end of the day, it land it had stood on was not needed after all for the approach to the new bridge. This was the experience of the Dyer family of Bucksport. The fight continues in the court for just remuneration.
My neighbor has told me that her grandfather's farm was taken to make way for a golf course. The lady I met today at the Portland Public Library told me that her family had been affected. My daughter told me, also today, that the State of Maine has just announced that it will invoke eminent domain to obtain lands it needs to build a new super highway. It can happen anyplace, anytime. Everyone's American Dream of property ownership can be threatened in a sudden flash.
Those who have not been affected remain complacent. Yes, it happens -- to someone else. Until it happens to them.
I am including Castle Coalition's blog that provides up-to-date information on what's happening around the country. This website is sponsored by the Institute for Justice.
http://www.castlecoalition.org
My ongoing opinions and findings from the human viewpoint as I tour various areas of the country and talk to people and learn of their experiences will be presented. This is about government and big business. It's also about people. It affects people. My book, STOLEN FIELDS, tells about the effects it had on my family. Some lives were destroyed -- but not all. What is the human cost? The experiences of other people will be presented as we go along.
Please post your comments for others to share. This is an important issue not only yesterday as it affected my family, but today as it could affect yours ---- and tomorrow -- your children and grandchildren. I am still learning about it, but I intend to become knowledgeable.
Yes, the government may need certain properties to build things that benefit the greater number of people. But it needs to pay a fair price. The Dyer family worked all their lives, building a popular and successful business. It was on valuable deep-water riverfront property. The government paid them a fraction of what it was worth. I don't know how many family members were counting on the true value for their support in their golden years, or if there was another generation waiting in the wings to carry on, but what they were paid amounts to nothing.
http://www.jeanboggio.com/ or http://www.colerithpress.com/
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