| The Supreme Court recently handed down a very | | | | hearth fire that had been burning continuously for |
| controversial decision regarding a case in New | | | | three generations. The TVA cut the Gordian knot by |
| London, Connecticut. | | | | keeping the fire going while it moved the family to its |
| What does that have to do with my web site? The | | | | new home." |
| fact that this decision can effect the economic well | | | | Let’s face it, no one likes to give up their |
| being of us all I think it falls within the purview of | | | | home or their business, but in some cases it’s |
| Caveat Emptor. | | | | unavoidable as in the case of the TVA. A few |
| When I first became aware of this decision, I was | | | | suffered for the good of many. The whole of rural |
| appalled that the Supreme Court would allow a city | | | | America benefitted from TVA.It provided electricity |
| or a state to take away a persons home to make | | | | for a multitude of the population who had previosly |
| room for some real estate just to provide more tax | | | | been without it. It fueled an economic boom. |
| revenue for the municipality. | | | | Let’s take an extreme example where a |
| After all, eminent domain laws were instituted to | | | | whole community is blighted and an urban renewal |
| allow us to build schools, bridges, highways and other | | | | program could rehabilitate an area, provide new jobs |
| projects necessary to the public at large. | | | | and add to the tax base of the area. |
| As usual there are two sides to every story and as I | | | | If we overturn the court decision we could have a |
| began to do research for this article I began to | | | | situation where one person could stop the |
| wonder. And now I'm in a dilemma, I’m not | | | | rehabilitation program that would be beneficial to |
| sure what’s right and what’s wrong in | | | | many people. |
| this case. | | | | At the other extreme if carried too far this decision |
| Controversy over eminent domain projects is not | | | | could result in developers and politicians wiping out |
| new; it harkens me back to the days of the | | | | whole communities to build stores, malls, and |
| Tennessee Valley Authority back in the thirties. Many | | | | expensive apartment and office buildings only to |
| people were forced from their homes unwillingly. | | | | provide more tax revenue. |
| Here’s an excerpt from the Tennessee State | | | | I’m not smart enough to know the answer to |
| Guide indicating the depth of the problem: | | | | this, but I’m sure the American people are, |
| "In moving these people, due regard was paid to | | | | and will make sure their representative government |
| their natural feelings, for in many cases they left | | | | will do the right thing. Give it a lot of thought and |
| homes occupied by their families for more than a | | | | make your opinions known. This is very important to |
| century. The story is told of one family who resisted | | | | us all. |
| removal because it would entail extinguishing the | | | | |