Property owners have good reason to fear if they live in New York. Today, the New York Supreme Court ruled in favor of Columbia University's expansion into West Harlem, overturning a lower court’s decision that formerly barred the expansion. Columbia’s developer, Empire State Development Corp, argued that eminent domain is appropriate because the property in West Harlem is blighted, and therefore redeveloping the area would serve a “civic purpose.”

New York has done this before. Earlier this year, the Court ruled in favor of Bruce Ratner, a developer who wanted to build an arena in the middle of a Brooklyn neighborhood. On March 1st, the Court gave Ratner the go ahead to start building; basically evicting citizens who’ve lived in their houses for years.

This ruling comes one day after the 5th anniversary of the despicable Kelo v. City of New London ruling, where private property was seized and given to the Pfizer Corporation for a project that never materialized.

Historically, eminent domain has been applied in very limited ways and for specific public purposes, i.e. to build new roads, schools, or hospitals. This ruling on the other hand, gives the government license to confiscate private property and give it to another private entity; a blatant infringement on individual property rights.

PRA strongly condemns the finding. New York has ignored property rights in favor of abusive government bureaucrats and highly-connected business owners.

Tags: BIGSTORY HOT EmDom | Permalink | Comments

Since the Supreme Court has Usurped the eminent domain law that's the new rules. Vote the libs out or it's New York's fault for putting in usurping politicians. I was personally infuriated years ago when I heard what the supreme court ruled and predicted this. Stop putting communists in charge and we can straighten out all the usurpations inflicted on the people by an always over reaching tyrannical LIBERAL government. You are aware our Usurping congress and new found dictator set us up already for the exact same fall. That's when they will oppress and finish the job of putting its citizenry in servitude to mother government.Imagine what rulings against our freedom from the dictators bench. Just one more and he gets to stack the court. Which will mean our freedoms will be taken. They actually stole our rights from us with their socialized medicine. Vote the progressives out or stop crying and enjoy the ride to communism.
Phil Tawa / massachusetts June 29, 2010 29:55 am

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