Re[2]: [at-l] What do you do...

[Bob Cummings <ellen@clinic.net> (Bob Cummings)]

"...Personally I don't feel that additional funding (for the AT)is appropriate in light of
the governments land grabbing tactics," says Clifford.

I personally don't know of any thing that approaches "land grabbing tactics," by government
involving the trail. Government negotiated for 20 years and paid 25 times the land's appraised value
on Saddleback. The law ordaining that the trail be protected was passed 35 or so years ago and there
are still gaps in that protection, which doesn't sound to me like a government running rough shod
over landowners.

I haven't seen the Fox series, but I've been associated with the news business long enough and have
listened to FOX enough to not have much respect for anything they report.

The right of eminent domain is as old as the history of private property itself. Kings, by virtue of
their power, or supposed mandate from God, claimed all land. They awarded parts of this land to
private individuals, but reserved the right to reclaim this land for the "public" good (read
whatever the reigning government thought was good.)

Governments have awarded the rights of eminent domain to all kinds of folks over the years --
highway departments, utilities, railroads. Some states even take private homes so they can assemble
parcels that they can sell to industries, gambling casinos and shopping centers.

I've had personal experience with eminent domain. Maine once took my house to widen a dead end road.
Why? As near as I could figure out so that people could get to a big resort at the end of the road
three seconds faster on a road with one less curve. I wasn't happy with either the reason or the
price. Is there anyone who doesn't think their property is worth more than a bureaucrat may claim?

However, in addition to working for a newspaper, putting sticks in popsicles and sundry other occupations,
for 12 years I was a parttime property appraiser. Essentially, the value of a property is what other
property of similar character sells for.

I know that one reason the negotiations for protecting the trail has taken so long is the reluctance
to use eminent domain powers. For some reason none of the property rights folks get upset over road
projects, just trail projects. But in my humble opinion, the trail is a far more important resource
than is the road project that shortens access to a luxury resort. YMMV

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