Caliguire For County Executive

CALIGUIRE SAYS HE WILL PROVIDE REAL PROTECTION FROM EMINENT DOMAIN ABUSE
McNerney Hiding from Property Rights Fight

"With all these cases of eminent domain abuse in Bergen County, Dennis McNerney has failed to stand up even once against the local politicians who are destroying businesses and taking people’s homes,� said Caliguire NEWS RELEASE

CALIGUIRE SAYS HE WILL PROVIDE REAL PROTECTION FROM EMINENT DOMAIN ABUSE
McNerney Hiding from Property Rights Fight

June 20, 2006

Hackensack – Since New Jersey’s Democrat lawmakers are incapable of protecting citizens’ property rights, Bergen County Executive Republican candidate Todd Caliguire, says he will do it on the county level.
Caliguire said Assemblyman John Burzichelli’s so called eminent domain reform bill, that was approved 6-1 yesterday by the Commerce and Economic Development Committee, offers no real protection for property owners and does nothing to eliminate the pay to play aspects of eminent domain abuse.

“Democrats from Bergen County to Camden County are taking advantage of homeowners and small business owners by condemning their property and giving it to developers who contribute to their campaigns,� said Caliguire, a former freeholder.

“The assembly bill does not address the connection between developer money and eminent domain abuse as the state’s public advocate had recommended,� said Caliguire. “If Trenton will not protect the property rights of the people of Bergen County, I will.�

Caliguire said as county executive he would not allow any county economic development funds to be used for economic redevelopment projects that employ the use of eminent domain. He also said he would not allow the county to condemn private property for redevelopment projects and would veto any funding of such projects by the Bergen County Improvement Authority.

Caliguire also said he would place a county-wide referendum on the ballot asking voters if they want tax dollars used for eminent domain redevelopment projects. He noted that voters overwhelming opposed such funding of eminent domain projects in Bogota last year.

“I believe the people in Bogota spoke for the majority in Bergen County last year. But, of course, the Democrat insiders, like our current county executive, weren’t listening,� said Caliguire. “They only listens to the developers.�
Caliguire said eminent domain abuse is prevalent in Bergen County where politically connected developers and local Democrat officials in Lodi, North Arlington, Cliffside Park, Ridgefield and Fairview have been leading efforts to condemn homes and businesses.

“With all these cases of eminent domain abuse in Bergen County, Dennis McNerney has failed to stand up even once against the local politicians who are destroying businesses and taking people’s homes,� said Caliguire, a Ridgewood resident.

“You would think Dennis McNerney would have taken a clue from the June 6 Primary results in North Arlington and take a stand opposing eminent domain, but he hasn’t,� said Caliguire, noting that the borough’s Democrat mayor lost his primary election because he supported eminent domain. “I want to know one thing: Where’s Dennis McNerney on eminent domain?� said Caliguire. “He’s hiding as usual.�

ECONOMIC EFFECTS

Caliguire, a small business owner, said the rampant abuse of eminent domain is not only unfair to homeowners, it is hurting the county and state economies. “No one in the industrial sector wants to invest in New Jersey when they know their property can be easily condemned to make way for a town house project or a hotel.�
“Eminent domain abuse is destroying good-paying industrial jobs while making developers rich,� he added. “As county executive, I will fight for the industrial business owners, not against them."