Council Powers
Stratford looking to loosen eminent domain laws
By Stephanie Simoni, WTNH Reporter Published: January 12, 2015, 6:44 pm
“STRATFORD, Conn. (WTNH)– The Stratford Town Council is looking to loosen their eminent domain law at a meeting Monday night. Members are asking their constituents, “Right now, is economic development such a high priority that they want us to have that power, or would they rather not?”
Town Attorney Tim Bishop said the town had a knee-jerk reaction in 2006, after the owner of a little pink house took on New London at the U.S. Supreme Court in Kelo vs. the City of New London. The Justices decided it was legal for a municipality to take private property for economic development purposes. In light of this, Stratford’s Town Council passed a statute.
“This statute basically told the public that here in Stratford we’ll never do that,” said Bishop.
Now, council member Jason Santi is exploring the idea of loosening the law. The town attorney didn’t detail which land they’re interested in, if any. http://wtnh.com/2015/01/12/stratford-looking-to-loosen-eminent-domain-laws/”
Remember the Woody Guthrie song, “This land is your land”? Well, not so fast there. It will be the Council’s land if this harebrained scheme goes through. What the proposal seeks to change are the restrictions (Yes, almost all of them.) placed on the Council’s power of Eminent Domain. So rather than seize land for the public good, any land (like yours) can be seized if there is a developer that has a couple of councilmen, a Registrar of Voters or a mayor in his pocket.
Perhaps we should contact Mr. Santi ([email protected], 203-522-4220) and tell him it’s not that we don’t trust the Council or mayor…wait a minute! Actually, it is because we don’t trust the Council or the mayor.
