Long Branch City Council is Dyslexic

The Long Branch City Council is ‘dissing’ the law. I use poetic license here to take the Latin meaning of the word ‘lexic,’ which pertains to ‘law.’

The council is comprised of Dr. Jane Celli, Independent; Michael De Stefano, Democrat; David. G. Brown, Republican; Mayor Adam Schneider, Democrat; John Zambrano, Republican, and Anthony Giordano, Republican. Among the matters discussed at the November 9, City Council meeting were hearings on Eminent Domain. All attending knew the plight of the Marine Terrace Group, those homeowners who are in the process of losing their cherished homes to condominium people who want to look out on the ocean view that these residents have enjoyed for more than forty years. It’s also the view that their children and grandchildren have called theirs for so long. These homeowners have paid their taxes faithfully these many years. Their only failure, according to the actions of this city council, is that they aren’t rich enough. They are among the many residents of this city who cannot keep Long Branch in the style to which it wants to be accustomed.

Doesn’t this seem to follow an allegorical tale of a disloyal spouse who hastens to divorce a loving partner because riches beckon from a ruthless, untried and possibly untrue lover?

The Condo people will have to pay handsomely (500K) to be unwitting (perhaps) accomplices to this outrageous violation of a citizen’s “unalienable rights“ (which are) . . . . of acquiring, possessing, and protecting property.” Those rights are written into law. Does anyone care? Down the road the usurpers too may have to be thrown out of their condos to make room for some other whim of the ruling parties. Maybe, by popular council demand, they will be displaced by a giant ferris wheel that will look much farther out to sea than the condos, and revenues will pour into Long Branch’s coffers after every fifteen minute ride instead of just yearly.

This abuse of Eminent Domain provisions are widespread, from coast to coast. CBS’s 60 Minutes brought it to public attention earlier this year, relating horror stories around the country having the same scenario as the travesty in Long Branch. Such seizures haven’t even been made to provide public projects for the benefit of the entire community. The old saw, ‘blight,’ is used as a feeble excuse. Here in New Jersey, no one would call the lovely piece of Americana that is Marine Terrace and the surrounding streets anything but charming and lovely. It is depressing to see that our ‘Americana’ is going the way of unbridled greed.

The owner of the Flamingo diner in Jersey City stopped the seizure of his property by gathering 10,000 signatures, a strategy that is said to be the most effective at combating the process of run-away Eminent Domain policies.

The entire council in Long Branch is up for re-election next year. This too could be an avenue of expression for the voter. A law enacted in 1992, New Jersey Local Redevelopment and Housing Law allows for the condemnation of private property for purpose of private development. How many of us knew such a law existed? But I’ll bet that the town councils and committees all over the state know about it.

It’s time to take a poll of the governing bodies in all of our towns to see what their attitudes are on Eminent Domain. It would be wise to consider this with immediate attention if you might envision your home in an endangered category. That category might include a neighborhood near the water, or one having easy access to public facilities, or the one having a beautiful view such as Scenic Park, the neighborhood in Lakewood, Ohio, which Mike Wallace featured on 60 Minutes. Those kinds of neighborhoods abound in our part of New Jersey.

If you have any thoughts on Eminent Domain, please let me know. If anyone remembers the story of Jimmy Liu who had the restaurant “Jimmy’s” (now demolished) on the Long Branch boardwalk please email me. I met people when I was just having a walk there and they so impressed me with their touching memories of Jimmy. Email me at brob3@aol.com