YellowSub1962
07-22-2002, 08:37 AM
American Land Rights Association - Land Rights Network
PO Box 400 - Battle Ground WA 98604
Phone: 360-687-3087 - Fax: 360-687-2973 - Email: <alra@landrights.org> -
http://www.landrights.org
Legislative Office: 508 First St SE - Washington DC 20003
Phone: 202-210-2357 - Fax: 202-543-7126 - Email: landrightsnet@aol.com
Bensenville Under Attack - Help Needed!
Bensenville, Illinois is a small city that happens to be in the way of a
big
steamroller - please help out so local property owners have a fair say in
their own future.
Bensenville is part of the greater Chicago metropolitan area, located next
to O'Hare airport. Over 2,000 of its residents, as well as about 40% of
its
local tax base, are threatened by condemnation proceedings due to the
proposed expansion of O'Hare airport.
*** IMPORTANT *** Most people have flown into O'Hare at one time or
another,
and we all know that something has to be done about airport congestion and
delays when flying into the Chicago area. Expanding O'Hare by basically
wiping the Village of Bensenville off the map is one of several options
that
have been considered in the past several years. Each alternative has
plusses and minuses, including the "wipe out Bensenville" option.
*** HERE IS THE POINT *** A bunch of environmentalist hypocrites led
by the Sierra Club, joined by the City of Chicago and pork barreling
politicians, is using tactics we have seen before to shut property owners
out of the decision-making process and jam a project down their throats.
** SEE BELOW. **
The citizens should be able to have a say and not be bullied and
threatened,
whether it is in an urbanized area like Bensenville or small towns and
rural
areas like Klamath, Oregon/California, Darby, Ohio or the Everglades in
Florida.
THE SITUATION:
HR 3479 is sponsored by one of Chicago Mayor Richard Daley's allies, Rep.
William Lipinski of Illinois. It proposes to ramrod through Congress an
O'Hare airport expansion proposal that will wipe out Bensenville - - after
REFUSING to allow any property owners to testify against the bill!
Lipinski attempted to gain approval for HR 3479 last week, on July 15, by
placing the bill on the "consent calendar." This means no amendments are
allowed, but it requires a 2/3 vote for approval instead of the usual
majority.
However, Rep. Henry Hyde of Illinois, who has been a great advocate of
private property rights for many years, rallied opposition on behalf of the
property owners. The bill fell short of a 2/3 majority, 247-143, and was
not approved.
Rep. Lipinski does not want to deal with the threat of amendments, and so
will probably attempt again to gain a 2/3 majority vote this coming week,
after coming close last week. The House of Representatives is in session
and voting every day until this Friday, July 26. Then it is out of session
until after Labor Day. So this week is CRUNCH TIME.
ACTION ITEM:
PLEASE ask your member of the House of Representatives to VOTE NO on HR
3479 - let's call it the "Wipe Out Bensenville" Act. The Capitol
switchboard is 202-225-3121, or please fax or email - there is not time for
regular mail letters.
HERE ARE THREE REASONS WHY - HR 3479 should not be approved:
ONE. Local residents were prohibited from testifying.
At the hearing on HR 3479 on March 6, 2002, all sorts of important people
testified - several Congressmen, the Governor of Illinois, Mayor Daley.
However, NONE of the citizens whose property is slated for seizure was
permitted to testify!!!
TWO. Big Brother is making threats and devaluing property.
The City of Chicago has already published maps of property and made threats
to exercise eminent domain if property owners do not "voluntarily" decide
to
sell - even though the expansion proposal has not been approved! These
threats have wrecked property values in Bensenville - who would be willing
to buy one of these homes under these circumstances? - and placed over a
thousand families futures on hold.
THREE. The Greens sold out the environment - why???
The Sierra Club and six other enviro outfits previously OPPOSED the
airport expansion, but now SUPPORT it!!! A Sierra Club spokesman had
previously testified about the importance of vigorously enforcing the Clean
Air Act, NEPA, EPA regulations etc. etc. etc. but has now mysteriously
flip-flopped.
ALSO: The expansion would pave over the Silver Creek Forest Preserve in
Bensenville. So the Sierra Club - that great protector of the environment
-
has endorsed paving over a forest preserve!!!!!
SO, some kind of behind the scenes deal was cut with the enviros - how
about
making a deal with the property owners instead of cutting them out of the
process!
THIS IS IMPORTANT TO YOU. If they lock out these property owners from
congressional hearings affecting them, then Congress can do the same to
you. To protect private property and the future of rural America, all
landowners must stick together.
Your Congressman likely has nothing to do with the Chicago area. It is
easy for him or her to ignore the threat. You know how it is. "Go along
to get along." HOWEVER, if he or she gets just a few phone calls from
your district, it is often easy to convince a Member of Congress to support
his constituents wishes and not "go along to get along."
Let your Congressman know you are watching. Call Monday, Tuesday and
Wednesday to urge him or her to oppose this land grab. Call your friends
to do the same.
PLEASE FORWARD THIS MESSAGE WIDELY!!
:usa:
PO Box 400 - Battle Ground WA 98604
Phone: 360-687-3087 - Fax: 360-687-2973 - Email: <alra@landrights.org> -
http://www.landrights.org
Legislative Office: 508 First St SE - Washington DC 20003
Phone: 202-210-2357 - Fax: 202-543-7126 - Email: landrightsnet@aol.com
Bensenville Under Attack - Help Needed!
Bensenville, Illinois is a small city that happens to be in the way of a
big
steamroller - please help out so local property owners have a fair say in
their own future.
Bensenville is part of the greater Chicago metropolitan area, located next
to O'Hare airport. Over 2,000 of its residents, as well as about 40% of
its
local tax base, are threatened by condemnation proceedings due to the
proposed expansion of O'Hare airport.
*** IMPORTANT *** Most people have flown into O'Hare at one time or
another,
and we all know that something has to be done about airport congestion and
delays when flying into the Chicago area. Expanding O'Hare by basically
wiping the Village of Bensenville off the map is one of several options
that
have been considered in the past several years. Each alternative has
plusses and minuses, including the "wipe out Bensenville" option.
*** HERE IS THE POINT *** A bunch of environmentalist hypocrites led
by the Sierra Club, joined by the City of Chicago and pork barreling
politicians, is using tactics we have seen before to shut property owners
out of the decision-making process and jam a project down their throats.
** SEE BELOW. **
The citizens should be able to have a say and not be bullied and
threatened,
whether it is in an urbanized area like Bensenville or small towns and
rural
areas like Klamath, Oregon/California, Darby, Ohio or the Everglades in
Florida.
THE SITUATION:
HR 3479 is sponsored by one of Chicago Mayor Richard Daley's allies, Rep.
William Lipinski of Illinois. It proposes to ramrod through Congress an
O'Hare airport expansion proposal that will wipe out Bensenville - - after
REFUSING to allow any property owners to testify against the bill!
Lipinski attempted to gain approval for HR 3479 last week, on July 15, by
placing the bill on the "consent calendar." This means no amendments are
allowed, but it requires a 2/3 vote for approval instead of the usual
majority.
However, Rep. Henry Hyde of Illinois, who has been a great advocate of
private property rights for many years, rallied opposition on behalf of the
property owners. The bill fell short of a 2/3 majority, 247-143, and was
not approved.
Rep. Lipinski does not want to deal with the threat of amendments, and so
will probably attempt again to gain a 2/3 majority vote this coming week,
after coming close last week. The House of Representatives is in session
and voting every day until this Friday, July 26. Then it is out of session
until after Labor Day. So this week is CRUNCH TIME.
ACTION ITEM:
PLEASE ask your member of the House of Representatives to VOTE NO on HR
3479 - let's call it the "Wipe Out Bensenville" Act. The Capitol
switchboard is 202-225-3121, or please fax or email - there is not time for
regular mail letters.
HERE ARE THREE REASONS WHY - HR 3479 should not be approved:
ONE. Local residents were prohibited from testifying.
At the hearing on HR 3479 on March 6, 2002, all sorts of important people
testified - several Congressmen, the Governor of Illinois, Mayor Daley.
However, NONE of the citizens whose property is slated for seizure was
permitted to testify!!!
TWO. Big Brother is making threats and devaluing property.
The City of Chicago has already published maps of property and made threats
to exercise eminent domain if property owners do not "voluntarily" decide
to
sell - even though the expansion proposal has not been approved! These
threats have wrecked property values in Bensenville - who would be willing
to buy one of these homes under these circumstances? - and placed over a
thousand families futures on hold.
THREE. The Greens sold out the environment - why???
The Sierra Club and six other enviro outfits previously OPPOSED the
airport expansion, but now SUPPORT it!!! A Sierra Club spokesman had
previously testified about the importance of vigorously enforcing the Clean
Air Act, NEPA, EPA regulations etc. etc. etc. but has now mysteriously
flip-flopped.
ALSO: The expansion would pave over the Silver Creek Forest Preserve in
Bensenville. So the Sierra Club - that great protector of the environment
-
has endorsed paving over a forest preserve!!!!!
SO, some kind of behind the scenes deal was cut with the enviros - how
about
making a deal with the property owners instead of cutting them out of the
process!
THIS IS IMPORTANT TO YOU. If they lock out these property owners from
congressional hearings affecting them, then Congress can do the same to
you. To protect private property and the future of rural America, all
landowners must stick together.
Your Congressman likely has nothing to do with the Chicago area. It is
easy for him or her to ignore the threat. You know how it is. "Go along
to get along." HOWEVER, if he or she gets just a few phone calls from
your district, it is often easy to convince a Member of Congress to support
his constituents wishes and not "go along to get along."
Let your Congressman know you are watching. Call Monday, Tuesday and
Wednesday to urge him or her to oppose this land grab. Call your friends
to do the same.
PLEASE FORWARD THIS MESSAGE WIDELY!!
:usa: