|
Bowing
to an order by Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell, the New London
Development Corporation—the organization of un-elected officials
who have been abusing the government’s power of eminent
domain—has agreed to rescind notices to evict sent to New London,
Conn., homeowners.
Earlier
this week, the NLDC had broken its word and defied both Governor Rell
and the Connecticut legislature by breaking a moratorium it had agreed
to abide by that was called for by both the governor and legislature.
Three Fort Trumbull residents received eviction notices stating that
they must vacate the properties in 30 to 90 days and must start paying
rent to the NLDC during that period. NLDC President Michael Joplin
claimed that the moratorium on eminent domain applied only to new cases
and not to the homes in New London, and that additional eviction
notices would be forthcoming.
“We and the homeowners in New London are so appreciative of
Governor’s Rell’s order to the NLDC to stop the
evictions,” said Institute for Justice Senior Attorney Dana
Berliner, who is debating the issue of eminent domain today in Hartford
at the State Capitol. “By ordering the evictions, the NLDC acted
with complete contempt for the property owners, the governor and the
state legislature. The NLDC is an un-elected and therefore
unaccountable body that has been given the power of eminent domain by
the City of New London. The NLDC is the poster child for eminent domain
abusers and its power must be reined in at last by New London’s
City Council.”
“It
is a great day for Fort Trumbull homeowners who were facing eviction
from their homes, but the battle is not over,” said Scott
Bullock, senior attorney for the Institute for Justice, which
represents the Fort Trumbull homeowners. “The Connecticut
legislature must do what the state and federal courts refused to do:
require that eminent domain can only be used for genuine public uses
and not for private development, as is happening in New London. Both
keeping the seven Fort Trumbull families safe and extending similar
protections to homeowners across the state are absolutely vital.”
Michael
Cristofaro, one of the homeowners, said, “We’ve always
wanted to stay. We still want to stay. We just want the NLDC and the
City to leave us alone. We are so grateful to Gov. Rell for coming to
our aid.”
“Reform efforts in dozens of others states across the nation are
watching what’s going on in Connecticut,” said Chip Mellor,
president and general counsel of the Institute for Justice.
“There is tremendous public outrage over eminent domain abuse,
outrage which only continues to grow. The public is demanding that
legislators restore legal protection to property in the wake of the
Kelo decision.” 9-17-05
|
