Comments on: SMART OKs use of eminent domain to close rural Petaluma crossings http://www.watchsonomacounty.com/2013/01/transportation/smart-oks-use-of-eminent-domain-to-close-rural-petaluma-crossings/ Your Sonoma County Politics Site Fri, 24 May 2013 20:59:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: Phil Maher http://www.watchsonomacounty.com/2013/01/transportation/smart-oks-use-of-eminent-domain-to-close-rural-petaluma-crossings/#comment-1170473 Phil Maher Sun, 20 Jan 2013 02:07:21 +0000 http://www.watchsonomacounty.com/?p=24975#comment-1170473 All arguments of the government’s moral right to exercise the use of eminent domain aside: This action should be solely reserved for those agencies wherein the members of their boards are elected by the voters, not appointed by their conspiratorial like-minded ilk as a matter of political favor. What SMART can’t get, SMART will take and pilfer by whatever means necessary…and this by no means excludes the very tax measure that created it.

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]]> By: Originalst http://www.watchsonomacounty.com/2013/01/transportation/smart-oks-use-of-eminent-domain-to-close-rural-petaluma-crossings/#comment-1168941 Originalst Sat, 19 Jan 2013 15:20:00 +0000 http://www.watchsonomacounty.com/?p=24975#comment-1168941 Gee, did Dumb Train to Nowhere just forget to mention it would steal private property during its phony campaign to the voters?
Eminent Domain has always been a political sham as evidence by homeowners in Connecticutt who lost their homes so the town could raise property taxes.
And are we to believe that a judge who isn’t trained on such matters is to decide? Heck, judges who are isolated from life are not the people to trust such decision! Let the sovereign people decide such things.

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]]> By: Elephant http://www.watchsonomacounty.com/2013/01/transportation/smart-oks-use-of-eminent-domain-to-close-rural-petaluma-crossings/#comment-1165815 Elephant Sat, 19 Jan 2013 01:16:58 +0000 http://www.watchsonomacounty.com/?p=24975#comment-1165815 Steveguy – The 900 jobs are for construction workers building houses near the train stations. DUMB themselves made that housing requirement. We have neither the need nor the infrastructure (aka drinking water) for these houses. This is why the construction industry is the major backer of DUMB.

Sorry, but anybody who thinks that the real goal of DUMB is a train is unfortunately wrong.

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]]> By: Steveguy http://www.watchsonomacounty.com/2013/01/transportation/smart-oks-use-of-eminent-domain-to-close-rural-petaluma-crossings/#comment-1165454 Steveguy Fri, 18 Jan 2013 20:00:27 +0000 http://www.watchsonomacounty.com/?p=24975#comment-1165454 There is a US Supreme Court case just heard for this kind of things. Whether the Government can make you pay. Check Pacific Legal Foundation.

Besides, SMART is a fraud and very expensive to the Cities along the line. Cotati is expected to pay for their own station, and others are under obligation too. What progress has been made ? Where are the 900 workers ? Why take so long ?

Can’t ask those questions from an insular board. Grand Jury time yet ?

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]]> By: R.B. Fish http://www.watchsonomacounty.com/2013/01/transportation/smart-oks-use-of-eminent-domain-to-close-rural-petaluma-crossings/#comment-1164875 R.B. Fish Fri, 18 Jan 2013 03:07:23 +0000 http://www.watchsonomacounty.com/?p=24975#comment-1164875 The real leader in chief is Barack Obama. Our country and rights are being taken over and he completely supports these activities for the sake of public good.

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]]> By: John Parnell http://www.watchsonomacounty.com/2013/01/transportation/smart-oks-use-of-eminent-domain-to-close-rural-petaluma-crossings/#comment-1164461 John Parnell Thu, 17 Jan 2013 23:36:35 +0000 http://www.watchsonomacounty.com/?p=24975#comment-1164461 SMART needs to dig itself out of its latest hole & emphatically state that it will not use eminent domain to steal the land for the north Petaluma station. This arrogant behavior is typical of this agency, but they say it is for a “crossing”. They forced the owners of the Corona Rd property into bankruptcy & tried to lowball their offer. Now, they want to steal it from the new owners, but they don’t want to pay for it. Eminent domain is their new M.O. & should repulse everyone.

The most amazing thing about this vote is that SMART finally had one that wasn’t unanimous. (is this the first in the board’s history?) Congratulations to David Rabbitt for taking a stand & showing us that there is a SMART boardmember with a backbone.

Meanwhile, Farhad Mansourian continues his reckless behavior down at the Novato Fire Board, where he has secretly forced out the board president, asst. chief AND chief (who just won Nation Fireman of the Year), so that he can be the new Board President.

http://www.marinij.com/ci_22277837

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]]> By: James Bennett http://www.watchsonomacounty.com/2013/01/transportation/smart-oks-use-of-eminent-domain-to-close-rural-petaluma-crossings/#comment-1163983 James Bennett Thu, 17 Jan 2013 21:55:07 +0000 http://www.watchsonomacounty.com/?p=24975#comment-1163983 A molestation of property rights.

Why should a property owner be encumbered with this expense?

This whole deal is a travesty.

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]]> By: elephant http://www.watchsonomacounty.com/2013/01/transportation/smart-oks-use-of-eminent-domain-to-close-rural-petaluma-crossings/#comment-1163879 elephant Thu, 17 Jan 2013 20:32:43 +0000 http://www.watchsonomacounty.com/?p=24975#comment-1163879 This area is a patchwork of industrial and commercial operations with a few private residences located outside of the Petaluma City Limits. And by consolidating the numerous “private” rail crossings into one controlled crossing, the PUC just wants to correct the stupidity of how the county permitted this mess to happen over the years.

All in all though, I still know that SMART is DUMB. Of course they’ll use the bullying tactic of eminent domain. The shoe fits.

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]]> By: GAJ http://www.watchsonomacounty.com/2013/01/transportation/smart-oks-use-of-eminent-domain-to-close-rural-petaluma-crossings/#comment-1163878 GAJ Thu, 17 Jan 2013 20:29:48 +0000 http://www.watchsonomacounty.com/?p=24975#comment-1163878 Absolutely crazy:

“He said in most cases, the majority of such costs are borne by the property owners.”

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