By Linda Curtis - Independent Texans - Aug. 17, 2007
Citizens across the state, and from across the political spectrum, have been calling their local civic and political organizations ever since the legislature went home last May, asking what they can do to remove Rick Perry from the Governor's office. The answer they get is this. Texans do not have the right to recall state office holders. But the legislature has the right to impeach state officials.
Independent Texans, the state's only association for the growing plurality of Texas voters who self-identify as independent, has launched an effort calling for the impeachment Rick Perry. The following statement was released by Independent Texans' founder, Linda Curtis about the effort:
"The only Texas Governor to be impeached was James "Pa" Ferguson back in 1917. It all started when he vetoed an appropriation for the University of Texas. Then a charge emerged that Ferguson was giving highway contracts to his friends in return for kickbacks. Perry's insistence on ramming his freeway toll and Trans-Texas Corridor scams down our throats, and the continued shell game with billions of transportation dollars, had already brought the call for Perry's removal to a near boiling point. When Rick Perry vetoed a very necessary appropriation for our community colleges, that's when the call for his impeachment began being taken seriously. We intend to take this campaign out across the state, to all political camps, and to neuter this administration. Whether or not that leads to Perry's impeachment will be up to the legislature. Let's see if history does indeed repeat itself."
Ten favorite reasons for Perry's impeachment (to which citizens can add), the impeachment process, targeting Perry's allies, and Impeach Perry bumper stickers can all be found at ImpeachPerry.com. We encourage you to order stickers in bulk to spread the word and to help our mutual cause.
Showing posts with label Governor's veto. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Governor's veto. Show all posts
Friday, August 17, 2007
Monday, July 16, 2007
Farmers upset over Perry veto of eminent domain bill
By BETSY BLANEY - Associated Press - Tuesday, July 3, 2007
LUBBOCK - One Central Texas farmer said he was "dumbfounded" by Gov. Rick Perry's veto of an eminent domain bill designed to protect landowners when the state wants to take their property.
Robert Fleming is not alone in an area worried about the massive Trans Texas Corridor proposal. The planned route cuts through Fleming's Bell County farms. He's bewildered by Perry's veto.
"We were so close to getting something done," Fleming said. "We've worked hard trying to get private property rights."
Perry vetoed the bill, and 48 others, June 15.
In 2005, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Kelo et al v. City of New London that cities can seize homes under eminent domain for use by private developers. Texas Farm Bureau spokesman Gene Hall said the ruling also said that states that want it otherwise can craft laws to do so. That's what the bill Perry vetoed would have done, he said.
Perry in 2005 named the eminent domain issue as an emergency item in a special session, Perry spokesman Robert Black said.
"The bill Governor Perry vetoed would have had little impact on rural Texas. It was targeted at high-growth urban areas," Black said.
The Trans Texas Corridor is the plan kick-started several years ago by Perry to build 4,000-plus miles of tollways and railways that would incorporate oil and gas pipelines, utility and water lines and broadband data lines.
One reason Perry gave for vetoing the bill was that it would have expanded damages a landowner could recover to include diminished access to roads from remaining property when a portion of the property is condemned, according to a release from Perry's office.
Also, landowners would have been able to collect damages for factors that include changes in traffic patterns and a property's visibility from the road, which Texas courts have knocked down because of the added costs to public projects that taxpayers would have to pay, the release states.
After the bill passed both houses - 125 of 150 votes in the House and unanimously in the Senate - Perry's office heard from most fast-growing cities and counties asking him to veto the bill; the cost of constructing state and local projects would have increased by more than $1 billion, the release stated.
"As someone who grew up in rural Texas, and farmed our family's piece of land, I am a strong proponent of protecting private property rights," Perry said in the statement. "But the issue is one of fairness to taxpayers, who will get fleeced in order to benefit condemnation attorneys."
Perry supported the bill early on but had objections to amendments added later, the release states.
The eminent domain issue for portions of the corridor proposal currently is on a back burner, Texas Farm Bureau officials said.
"The more time we have to spread our story and to make an issue out of [eminent domain] is certainly going to help the property owners," said Fleming, who grows corn and wheat and raises cattle.
Bureau officials said they believed Perry wanted to fix Texas' eminent domain law, having met with him early in the session.
"The taking of private property has become far too easy in this state," Kenneth Dierschke, president of the bureau, said in a statement. "Obviously, there are many powerful interests that prefer it stay that way."
Fleming took aim at Perry, saying he has turned his back on agriculture and his veto makes that clear.
"I feel like he's let us down a little bit," Fleming said. "He's got big ag background but since he's become a politician, he's kind of left ag out."
Bureau spokesman Gene Hall said the group will work to revisit the issue when legislators next gather in regular session in 2009. And they will talk with Perry.
"All we can do now is talk with him and work with him," Hall said. "We are serious about this."
Read more in Land and Livestock
LUBBOCK - One Central Texas farmer said he was "dumbfounded" by Gov. Rick Perry's veto of an eminent domain bill designed to protect landowners when the state wants to take their property.
Robert Fleming is not alone in an area worried about the massive Trans Texas Corridor proposal. The planned route cuts through Fleming's Bell County farms. He's bewildered by Perry's veto.
"We were so close to getting something done," Fleming said. "We've worked hard trying to get private property rights."
Perry vetoed the bill, and 48 others, June 15.
In 2005, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Kelo et al v. City of New London that cities can seize homes under eminent domain for use by private developers. Texas Farm Bureau spokesman Gene Hall said the ruling also said that states that want it otherwise can craft laws to do so. That's what the bill Perry vetoed would have done, he said.
Perry in 2005 named the eminent domain issue as an emergency item in a special session, Perry spokesman Robert Black said.
"The bill Governor Perry vetoed would have had little impact on rural Texas. It was targeted at high-growth urban areas," Black said.
The Trans Texas Corridor is the plan kick-started several years ago by Perry to build 4,000-plus miles of tollways and railways that would incorporate oil and gas pipelines, utility and water lines and broadband data lines.
One reason Perry gave for vetoing the bill was that it would have expanded damages a landowner could recover to include diminished access to roads from remaining property when a portion of the property is condemned, according to a release from Perry's office.
Also, landowners would have been able to collect damages for factors that include changes in traffic patterns and a property's visibility from the road, which Texas courts have knocked down because of the added costs to public projects that taxpayers would have to pay, the release states.
After the bill passed both houses - 125 of 150 votes in the House and unanimously in the Senate - Perry's office heard from most fast-growing cities and counties asking him to veto the bill; the cost of constructing state and local projects would have increased by more than $1 billion, the release stated.
"As someone who grew up in rural Texas, and farmed our family's piece of land, I am a strong proponent of protecting private property rights," Perry said in the statement. "But the issue is one of fairness to taxpayers, who will get fleeced in order to benefit condemnation attorneys."
Perry supported the bill early on but had objections to amendments added later, the release states.
The eminent domain issue for portions of the corridor proposal currently is on a back burner, Texas Farm Bureau officials said.
"The more time we have to spread our story and to make an issue out of [eminent domain] is certainly going to help the property owners," said Fleming, who grows corn and wheat and raises cattle.
Bureau officials said they believed Perry wanted to fix Texas' eminent domain law, having met with him early in the session.
"The taking of private property has become far too easy in this state," Kenneth Dierschke, president of the bureau, said in a statement. "Obviously, there are many powerful interests that prefer it stay that way."
Fleming took aim at Perry, saying he has turned his back on agriculture and his veto makes that clear.
"I feel like he's let us down a little bit," Fleming said. "He's got big ag background but since he's become a politician, he's kind of left ag out."
Bureau spokesman Gene Hall said the group will work to revisit the issue when legislators next gather in regular session in 2009. And they will talk with Perry.
"All we can do now is talk with him and work with him," Hall said. "We are serious about this."
Read more in Land and Livestock
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
