“Eventually, we are going to take it from someone.”
At the May 6 City Council meeting, Livingston Council Member Roy Soria uttered these words during a discussion about the Horisons Medical Center Project. When asked why Horisons would be putting in an underground parking facility, instead of just buying the neighboring parcels for a parking lot, the owner replied that buying the neighboring parcels would not be cost effective. By the time the City got done taking its “cut of the land” she would end up with a lot less parking for a lot more money.
At this point, Mr. Soria chuckled and uttered his insightful “Eventually, we are going to take it from someone” comment.
“Taking” property is no laughing matter. That a council member would find humor in taking land on the city’s behalf is appalling. Such a cavalier attitude should “boil the blood” of every person who believes in private property rights and the proper role of government. It is one thing for the City to negotiate in good faith when it wants land for “the public good”. It is quite another to see itself as having almost a “divine right” to a piece of the property of others.
That Mr. Soria would even think of uttering such a statement during an open meeting, in light of the push to pass Proposition 98, says quite a bit about his personal beliefs about his role as a Council member, the role of government in general, and the role of private property owners.
Is there any question as to who seems to be the most important, from his point of view?
Thought not.
