Accessory To Tyranny...N.C. League of Municipalities

Below is a link to a Carolina Journal article concerning the N.C. League of
Municipalities role in the Kelo vs. New London Supreme Court case.

http://tinyurl.com/7zor3

"It is in the public interest for municipalities to pursue economic development locally and regionally because a healthy economy helps generate the revenue necessary to provide services and infrastructure needs of the public," they wrote. "At times, the ability to provide the public good requires municipalities to exercise the power of eminent domain granted by state authority."

Ellis Hankins, Executive Director, N.C. of Municipalities
Donald Borut, Executive Director, National League of Cities
Co-authors of an editorial explaining why their organizations supported New London

Supporting forced annexation is bad enough. Now the N.C. League of Municipalities (NCLM) supports taking private property to give to private developers. The NCLM filed a amicus brief on behalf of New London, Conn.. When I think of the NCLM, the term Communistic Thugs comes to mind. These people are statists of the worst degree.

Based on these Un-American "crimes" committed by the NCLM, every city and town in N.C. should rescind their membership in that organization. Property owners across this state should demand nothing less!

Jeff Taylor On The T.I.F. Scam...

" As detailed by Daniel McGraw in the January issue of Reason, tax increment financing, or TIF, is the crystal meth on crack of local government re-development tools. TIFs allow developers and government officials to work together to "earmark" projected tax revenue increases from a new project to help fund that same project. The funding can either pay for government bonds floated on the new development or directly subsidize that development. But in either case, both developers and government win. Politicians get a shiny, new, multi-million project to take credit for with little upfront cost and developers get below-market financing and other subsidies. Everyone wins except the general public. The average tax-paying schmo has to pay for general government services for the free-riding new development."

March Of The Central Planners

The Independent Tribune has reported that Cabarrus County will now get into the "business" of commercial design "standards". They are following the example of Harrisburg and Mount Pleasant.

From the article; "Susie Zakraisek, the county’s new planning and zoning manager, said the standards call for a more urban design, with buildings positioned closer to roadways, parking to the rear of buildings and connectivity."

Ah!, the joys of Marxist Central Planning........

I guess the county government doesn't have enough to do...like protecting the life, liberty and property of her citizens. Oh no!

You see, when it comes to government, it is all about perception. They don't want any "ugly" buildings in our county. Their perception of what a business should look like trumps property rights. And if you don't believe them, by God, they will use the brute force of Govco to enforce their will!

Government, at all levels, should PROTECT property. Public safety should be the metric used by goverment, not perception.

Property rights end at the property line. I have a stream that crosses my property. That doesn't give me the right to pollute it. If you live in a subdivision, you do not have the right to set up a firing range in your back yard. Government should step in when someone violates the rights of their neighbors.

Government doesn't have the right to design commercial properties. In fact, like all good constitutionalists and libertarians know, government has no rights at all. Only individuals have rights.

That includes individuals who want to build commercial buildings on their own property.

Libertarians Praise BB&T

NEWS RELEASE
Libertarian Party of North Carolina
1821 Hillandale Rd. #1B-253 Durham NC 27705
919.286.0152
www.lpnc.org
For more information contact:
Brian Irving, press secretary
(910) 987-5277

Libertarians Hail BB&T Policy Decision on Funding Eminent Domain Abuse

DURHAM (Jan. 30) – Libertarians are hailing the decision by BB&T not to loan money to private developers who use the state’s power of eminent domain to develop property taken from other citizens.

“We’re heartened when a major corporation, especially one based in North Carolina, takes a strong stand in support of property rights,” said Brian Irving, spokesman for the Libertarian Party of North Carolina. “This is an excellent example of responsible corporate leadership working in a free market to support individual liberty.”

BB&T changed their commercial lending policy in response to a controversial U.S. Supreme Court decision in Kelo vs. New London. The court ruled that governments can seize personal property to make room for private development projects. This cleared the way for an expansion of eminent domain authority historically used primarily for utilities, rights of way and other public facilities.

Libertarians have condemned the Kelo decision as a nullification of property rights. North Carolina libertarians have called for a state constitutional amendment to prohibit the state from taking private property for private development.

In a news release announcing the policy, BB&T Chairman and Chief Executive Officer John Allison said, “The idea that a citizen's property can be taken by the government solely for private use is extremely misguided, in fact it's just plain wrong”

“One of the most basic rights of every citizen is to keep what they own,” Allison said “As an institution dedicated to helping our clients achieve economic success and financial security, we won't help any entity or company that would undermine that mission and threaten the hard-earned American dream of property ownership.”

“We wholeheartedly agree with Mr. Allison,” Irving said. “We commend BB&T not only for this specific action but for the underlying fact of their acting on principle. As the ‘Party of Principle,’ Libertarians appreciate BB&T as the ‘Principled Bank.”

“I think this is outstanding news,” said Chris Cole, 2004 Libertarian Party candidate for lieutenant governor.
Jim Capo, a libertarian activist said, “Between this press release and the understanding that Atlas Shrugged is assigned reading for their top management team, I have decided to move my Wachovia account over to BB&T.”

Jim Pitts, a Lee county libertarian wrote to Allison to say he’s “extremely pleased” to be a customer. “BB&T’s clear stance against supporting eminent domain is very heartening to everyone. People, including governmental entities, who want to take individuals’ and families’ property to use as ‘they’ desire, have challenged our American way of life.”

Libertarian Tim Rohr, who’s also a Lenoir city council member said, “I think I'm going to propose Lenoir move its accounts to BB&T.” Rohr was instrumental in getting the Lenoir council to pass a resolution condemning the Kelo decision.

“The LPNC already has its money there,” noted Bev Wilcox, a member of the LPNC executive committee. “Bravo to them.”

I'm Back

I have been on a vacation away from politics since I resigned as chair of the Libertarian Party of North Carolina on January 9th. After six intense years of political activism, it is past time for me to put my personal life ahead of my political life. It is time to focus my attention on the social and political issues that affect my home. Cabarrus County is my home and she deserves my full attention.

I'm back and I will have plenty to say in the coming months.

Stay tuned............