It’s not about our home anymore, it is about what we (all U.S. citizens) understand to be liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

The United States was searched for and founded to escape despotic power. Yet, greedy developers and self-interest government officials are destroying that dream. Yes, this destruction of using eminent domain for private developers began in the 1950’s as Long Branch Councilman David Brown well experienced.

In reality, this type of redevelopment is usually used in poor minority neighborhoods where people are taken advantage of and not well informed.

On many levels this is not just economic discrimination but also an inhumane assault of race discrimination.

A self-interest government or developer depends on lack of knowledge. For instance right now in an area of Philadelphia there is a forcible seizure going on in a very large African American community located on the water. Most of the population believes this to be good because the area is run down.

Well, the appropriate questions are: Why is it run down? Why haven’t the streets been paved? Why aren’t code enforcement summonses given? Why aren’t the streets swept? Why isn’t there enough police presence in the affected area to stop crime?

The streets seem to be cleaned in wealthier neighborhoods. A disregarded carpet on a roof in these neighborhoods would receive a code violation. And how is crime low? Because it is not tolerated.

If we don’t end this corruption then we are supporting despotic power on American soil. Whether poor, middle income or wealthy, you should be protected by the government from unreasonable seizure, not forced into an unreasonable seizure by your government.

We (MTOTSA) are confident that we have made many accomplishments in the past two years challenging this seizure on behalf of the property rights of all citizens. At the very least awareness has risen. People are acting upon it and so are legislators.

Please join MTOTSA and the Institute for Justice on Oct.15 (rain date Oct. 22) at 2 p.m. on Ocean Terrace in Long Branch for a walk, rally and movie in support of stopping eminent domain abuse.

This is no joke — especially for Long Branch residents as your home or business could be next!

Lee and Denise Hoagland

on behalf of

MTOTSA Alliance

Long Branch

Ask candidates for views on eminent domain

The other day, I responded to an online poll asking whom I was going to vote for in November’s gubernatorial election. I picked not sure yet. I usually know by now who I think will be the best candidate to vote for.

Last summer, I attended a conference in Washington, D.C. I found out that not only do I live in the most corrupt state, it is the biggest abuser of eminent domain abuse.

Now that the Supreme Court has decided in the Kelo v New London case to leave property rights up to the states, I have become for the first time in the 29 years that I have voted a one-issue person.

Sure, there are the usual issues such as taxes and abortion rights. I think we all know that taxes never go down. It’s just a ploy by politicians to get our vote. Now we have an issue in front of us that affects all of us whether we own businesses, are homeowners or renters, it is about property rights.

I urge the people of the state of New Jersey to write or call all the candidates from freeholder to governor and ask them what their view on eminent domain abuse is. Ask them to put it in writing. Ask them to sign the pledge on eminent domain abuse, and to change our state Constitution to protect our right to own property.

These are the people we need to vote into office to represent us. Let’s let the politicians know that we will not take this kind of abuse in New Jersey.

Jean Smith

Westmont

West Long Branch open space should be saved

As most readers are now aware, the West Long Branch Zoning Board voted 5 to 1 in favor of permitting commercial development on a historical farm called Kilkare Farm located at the intersection of Pinewood and Beechwood avenues on Aug. 31.

Three members of the board, Christopher, Springman and Miller are Monmouth University alumni and voted in favor of the University’s application.

It should be noted that the transcript of the first Zoning Board meeting reveals that in past university applications, Miller had stepped down due to a conflict because he had worked for the university. Yet for some reason, he did not step down on this application.

At the last council meeting, a resident presented petitions, which oppose our council using their taxes to appeal the decision of the Zoning Board. During the course of the meeting we found out that the total West Long Branch budget is about $7.4 million. We also found out that the cost for an appeal will be about $5,000 to $10,000, which is precisely the range of property taxes that my wife and I pay.

When you consider the 109 of my neighbors who have asked for the appeal, many of whom are directly impacted by the project, we pay between $500,000 and $1 million in taxes to our town. Please feel free to use our taxes to protect our basements which may flood after the new detention basin is put in.

By contrast, the university, which owns 155 acres of our total 1,811 acres of land in our town makes a “voluntary contribution” in lieu of taxes of about $100,000 to our town.

The question that I have is why isn’t our liaison committee to the university (which includes our current mayor) asking the university to pay a fairer share of our taxes so that our burden will be less?

Also why aren’t our leaders looking for ways to preserve open space so that our children can enjoy the beauty of Kilkare Farm? Why is our town and the university even considering destroying an historical open space?

If our mayor and council don’t act to preserve open space and to stop our Zoning Board from permitting development on residential properties then in November we should elect a mayor and council that will.

And hopefully, the new mayor and council will appoint members to our Zoning Board who will understand that residential properties are supposed to be for families and residents and not for public restrooms and parking lots as currently proposed.

Joseph and Pamela Hughes

West Long Branch

Marijuana use hampers teens’ academic careers

Across our country, an estimated 1.5 million high school

students will take the Standardized Achievement Tests (SATs) this fall, beginning with thousands who will sit for the first round this academic year on Saturday,

Oct. 8.

At this critical time in teens’ academic careers, as they look ahead to college and their futures, it’s a perfect time for parents to discuss the dangers of marijuana use with their teenager.

While illicit drug use among teens is on the decline, marijuana is the most commonly used drug among 16- and 17-year-olds, the precise age at which most teens take their college entrance exams.

And research shows that last year, 1.3 million teens between the ages of 12 and 17 used marijuana for the first time.

That’s about the same number of students who are expected to take the SATs this fall. Studies show that marijuana use during these peak academic years can have a significant negative impact on academic performance:

Marijuana can hinder a teen’s ability to learn. Heavy marijuana use impairs young people’s ability to concentrate and retain information.

Marijuana use is linked to poorer grades. A teen with a “D” average is four times more likely to have used marijuana than a teen with an “A” average.

Marijuana and underage drinking are linked to higher dropout rates. Students who drink or use drugs frequently are up to five times more likely than their peers to drop out of high school. A teenage marijuana user’s odds of dropping out are more than twice that of a non-user.

Teens who begin marijuana use at an early age when the brain is still developing may be more vulnerable to neuropsychological deficits, especially verbal abilities.

According to Dr. Larry S. Fields, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians, recent research does raise cause for alarm with regard to teen marijuana use and the negative effects on the adolescent body and brain.

Studies show that heavy marijuana use impairs a teen’s ability to concentrate and retain information. And this is especially problematic during their peak learning and testing years.

Together, parents and teachers can lay the foundation for raising healthy, drug-free students. We need to protect future citizens and leaders and we can only do this if we keep our youth away from drugs and help them focus on their academic futures.

For more information about how marijuana affects the development of the teen brain or to learn more about the signs and symptoms of marijuana use, call or visit Prevention First’s Resource Center at (732).663.1800 ext. 216.

Mary Pat Angelini

executive director

Prevention First

Ocean

Roadwork delays are a hardship for drivers

As many residents are painfully aware, the intersection of Route 71 and Wall Street in West Long Branch has been under construction for a considerable amount of time. This construction project has created a traffic nightmare in an already congested area and is creating a hardship for motorists and businesses alike.

I recently contacted the New Jersey Department of Transportation (DOT) to express my displeasure with the amount of time this project is taking and the resulting impact on the community. While I understand that many factors can cause delays, contractors must anticipate that problems will arise and adjust the project accordingly.

Clearly, that was not done in this case and the residents and business owners of the surrounding neighborhoods — not to mention motorists traveling through the area — are paying the price.

The DOT has stated that this project is scheduled to be completed in February 2006. This is unacceptable.

The DOT must make this project a priority and commit the necessary resources and manpower to complete this project as soon as possible. It is long past time for the DOT to put an end to this boondoggle and finish the job immediately.

Anything less is a disservice to the people of this and surrounding communities.

Sean T. Kean

assemblyman

11th District