NYC 2013 ELECTION & EMINENT DOMAIN

NYC 2013 ELECTION & EMINENT DOMAIN by Richard Cooper

This year’s election will select three citywide officials with considerable decision-making powers and influence over the use of eminent domain.   What have the candidates said and done?  As an eminent domain activist and former Libertarian Party of New York www.ny.lp.org State Chair, I will present what I have learned about the candidates for Mayor, Comptroller and Public Advocate.  Libertarians have fought the Atlantic Yards, West Harlem and Willets Point eminent domain schemes of the city and state governments.  

For mayor, we are indebted to Norman Oder and his comprehensive blog, Atlantic Yards Report, From Norman Oder’s Atlantic Yards Report http://atlanticyardsreport.blogspot.com/2013/05/at-mayoral-forum-atlantic-yards-treated.html.  For the major party candidates, candidates for mayor we can rely on his reporting.  In particular, I would note that Republican Joseph Lhota as Metropolitan Transit Authority head and deputy mayor under former mayor Rudy Giuliani was instrumental in making eminent domain projects happen.  Meanwhile, Christine Quinn supported the Manhattanville (or West Harlem) scheme to benefit my alma mater, Columbia University Science Campus expansion. 

See also http://www.nolandgrab.org/archives/2007/03/press_release_c_10.html for the Columbia Libertarian alumni response.

Michael Sanchez, Libertarian for Mayor

“I don't believe eminent domain should ever be used for commercial projects. I consider the use of eminent domain for private projects as an infringement of our liberties and they will not receive any support from me.”  (source, private communication).

Alex Merced, Libertarian for Public Advocate

 

“I'm in principle against eminent domain due to its disrespect for an individual’s control over their property. Although in US law eminent domain is a long existing institution, but which in a less than ideal world should be used only for its intended use in streamlining the creation of roads and infrastructure not for the private us of other individuals other than the original property owner such as in the Kelo case.

 So I am against eminent domain, but even more against its misuse.” (source, private communication)
 

For City Comptroller, the excitement of course is that former Governor Spitzer unexpectedly entered the race, upsetting Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer , who formerly served in the State Assembly.”

Where does Spitzer stand?  Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer supports the Manhattanville (West Harlem) eminent domain plan to expand Columbia University.

Former Governor Eliot Spitzer advised Former Governor Pataki to veto a modest eminent domain reform law.  Spitzer supported Bruce Ratner’s Barclays Center eminent domain in Brooklyn. http://eliotspitzer.blogspot.com/2005/05/eliots-eminent-domain-position.html 

http://therealdeal.com/issues_articles/untangling-spitzer-s-real-estate-ties/

http://mythsmasher.blogspot.com/2005/12/scary-ny-attorney-general-eliot.html

http://groundreport.com/spitzers-economic-development-czar-steps-down/

http://www.gothamgazette.com/index.php/development/443-eminent-domain-changes-seek-to-limit-states-power-to-seize-property

http://duffieldst.blogspot.com/2007/07/organizing-against-eminent-domain-abuse.html

Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer supports the Manhattanville (West Harlem) eminent domain plan to expand Columbia University.

Hesham El-Meligy, the Libertarian candidate for Comptroller “My position on eminent domain is simple. In principle, I am against the use of eminent domain because it is the threat or actual use of force against someone to force the transfer of his/her property to others. That goes against our foundational principles of protecting life, liberty, and property. Of course every case is a different case, but that's the general principle.  The Atlantic Yard project has some good benefits, but mostly to the well to do. I wish there was a better deal for the people of Brooklyn and NYC.”  (source, private communication.”

Obviously, I support the Libertarian team of Michael Sanchez for Mayor, Alex Merced for Public Advocate and Hesham El-Meligy for Comptroller.  Right now, petitioners are seeking voter signatures to qualify these candidates for the ballot.  Check out www.manhattanlp.org or www.ny.lp.org for more about the Libertarian Party.   -30-

 

The Odd Couple Revival

The "Odd Couple" should be revived starring Anthony Weiner and Eliot Spitzer in the roles played on Broadway and the film by Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau, later captured brilliantly by Tony Randall and Jack Klugman.

Can't you just picture them living together after their wives toss them out? 

From The Archives: Governor Spitzer Now Playing Peter O'Toole In Choppergate by Richard Cooper

(Note this previously appeared on Groundreport.com when Eliot Spitzer was still the Governor of Occupied New York.  He is currently seeking the Democrat nomination for Comptroller of the City of New York.  The Libertarian candidate for Comptroller is Hesham El-Meligy and the Libertarian candidate for mayor is Michael Sanchez www.manhattanlp.org). 

 

"Who will rid me of this meddlesome priest?"  In the 1964 movie Becket, King Henry II of England as played by

Peter O'Toole implores his henchmen with these words.  Substitute Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno for

Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas á Becket and the probable solution for the mystery hanging over New York's State Capitol in the Choppergate scandal appears.  We may never know if New York Governor Eliot Spitzer explicitly ordered his aides to smear Bruno  by manipulating the State Police and the news media.  He didn't have to spell  it out.  That is what makes a good henchman.   

 

Spitzer's aides obtained information under false pretenses from the State Police  on Senator Bruno's

travels in a state helicopter at taxpayer's expense.  Then they leaked this information to the news media to embarrass Bruno.  Both Team Spitzer and Bruno are in the wrong.  The manipulation of the State Police for political benefit is frightening.  Senator Bruno did official business for very little time per trip on these fundraising jaunts.

 

But it is not enough to question the use of taxpayer funds for political purposes as opposed to official business.  Libertarians like myself point out that so-called official business is political.  Why do Governor  Spitzer, let alone Senator Bruno or Democrat Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, have to travel outside Albany at taxpayer's expense?  Aren't the bill signings, facility opening ceremonies and "fact-finding" visits really just trips to promote themselves, their party, and state power in general? 

The distinction between official and political is false and artificial.  The official visits are largely propaganda exercises.  We see this readily enough in dictatorships, why not in democracies?

 To Libertarians, Spitzer, Bruno and Silver are the leaders of gangs engaged in legalized theft, corrupting the voters.  Their trips are part of the corruption.  The reform mask is stripped bare from the evil Sheriff of Albany as just another rascal.  

"http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/
This workis licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.

 

http://www.groundreport.com/article.php?articleID=2834746

 

NY Citywide Office Sex Maniac Slate

Weiner is running for Mayor. Spitzer is running for Comptroller.  Maybe we could have Vito Lopez for Public or should it be Private Advocate.