Lakefront Owners' Group pressures Bush to order Taft on "property rights"

[Kolesar]

The wealthy lakefront property owners were not getting the results they wanted with the GOP controlled Ohio Governor and Legislature, so they pressured their great white leader with this letter signed by 4000. You could say they were a little clumsy.

Proudly, from their very own website:
http://www.ohiolakefrontgroup.com/documents/LettertoPresidentBush.doc

April 27, 2004

BUSH-CHENEY '04, Inc.
P.O. Box 10648
Arlington, VA 22210

Dear President Bush,

I’ve received several requests from your campaign for donations. I’d like to take this opportunity to explain to you why I’m withholding a donation and why the Ohio Lakefront Group is actively encouraging all owners of the 15,000 parcels of land along Lake Erie to do the same.

I’m from Ohio and am disgusted with Governor Bob Taft and the Ohio Senate. I’m disgusted with the Ohio Republican Governor and a Republican controlled Senate.

Why? Ohio House Bill 218.

I’m the president of the Ohio Lakefront Group, a grassroots non-profit organization of residential property owners along the shore of Lake Erie. (http://www.ohiolakefrontgroup.com)

Our organization represents several thousand property owners. (I’ll leave it to you to guess whether there are more Republicans or Democrats that live in homes along the lake.)

We’ve been in a 4-year battle with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. The issue? Property rights. The State says that it owns our beach, and our deeds state we own the land. Our title policies state we own the land. We pay (high) taxes on the land.

But the State says they own it, and is forcing us into signing Submerged Land Leases. We are actually being forced to lease back our own property.

We were able to get House Bill 218 introduced, passed out of Committee, and eventually out of the House with a vote of 77 – 20. But, we’re stuck in the Senate Committee.

What’s our Governor’s position on this? First, he’s concerned with federal funding. He wants to ensure that Ohio continues to get funding for its Coastal Management Program from NOAA. Frankly, from a purely financial perspective, and since Ohio has significant budget problems, I can understand his concern regarding funding. But is it right that the federal government encourages the States to “take” private property to enable the States to qualify for federal funding?

Being a true “Republican,” I doubt you think that is right.

Now the Governor and Senators want us to compromise and give up five feet of our property in exchange for the elimination of the leases. They want the five feet so the public can walk across our deeded property. Note that the Governor wants to do this as a Regulatory Takings—there is no proposal to use Eminent Domain and pay for the property that the State wishes to seize. There is no doubt in my mind that if we concede the five feet, it will only get worse over time. Presumably, the ultra-environmentalists have gotten to Taft.

Does this sound right to you? Can you believe that property rights can be violated in a State that has a Republican Governor as well as a Republican controlled Senate and House?

I think it behooves you to get your office involved in this issue. Our members are livid over this issue and we’re not giving up. Please note that we are asking our members (and other similarly situated lakefront property owners) to divert any donations from your campaign to our group until this issue is satisfactorily resolved.

Thus, I urge you to call Governor Taft. You must realize that Governor Taft’s actions are placing my property, and your re-election, at risk.

I look forward to hearing from your representative soon.

Sincerely,


Anthony J. Yankel
President


cc: Governor Robert Taft
Mr. Robert T Bennett, Chairman Ohio Republican Party
Senator Doug White
Senator Robert Spada
Representative Timothy J. Grendell

edit:typo

[SharonAnn]

1. Oh the incredible greed. I live on lakefront land and have lived

on oceanfront land. It's common that the landowner doesn't own all the way to the water's edge. There's a portion that is public property adjoining the water and people can walk through there.

It's a situation that exists in many places where there is waterfront property, especially if it's navigable waters.

I think these people are flogging a dead horse.

Anyway, I'm glad they're witholding $ from * and maybe we should suggest they withold more and convince even more people to withold more. Kind of "reverse campaign contributions".

[Kolesar]

2. Please take action to stop the L. Erie shoreline giveaway

I have asked before and been delighted that several DUers did take action to stop HB 218. Thank you all! This action has stalled a bill that would have passed months ago. The issue is still topical and it is in front of the Senate (as HB 218). Please email or call your State Senators on this. There is a rumor that there may be a committee vote next week. If we can prevent that committee vote, we can hold out until the end of the legislative session which ends later in May.

Contact your senator and tell them you oppose HB 218:

http://www.senate.state.oh.us/senators/index.html

Here are the details:

http://ohio.sierraclubaction.org/showalert.asp?aaid=542

The Ohio Senate is now considering a bill that would dramatically reshape public access to the Lake Erie shore. HB 218 would turn over Lake Erie shoreline to private property owners – even though the land has been held for the public since Ohio became a state. HB 218 creates a drastic, overreaching solution to what is, if anything, a departmental policy and management issue.

Based on some documented evidence, shoreline property owners have legitimate concerns with how the Ohio Department of Natural Resources has managed shoreline lands. However, HB 218 creates a drastic, overreaching solution to what is, if anything, a departmental policy and management issue.

The Ohio Senate should deal with the real problems of coastal management. They should provide adequate funding for coastal management, require a review of ODNR leasing and permitting procedures, and retain all publicly held shoreline property for all of Ohio’s residents.

[cmd]

4. I think I'll Sen. DiDonato that letter

He'll enjoy a good laugh.

[Kolesar]

6. I just faxed DiDonato & the leadership a bunch of petition sigs against218

There was an article on that letter in the PD a few days ago. The letter is the talk of the capitol. Legislators get pissed when constituents threaten to withhold support and there are rumors that they may have just cooked their own goose with this letter. They were downright nasty! We are still agitating against HB 218 though.

[cmd]

7. I just saw Jeff in Canton

His campaign is rolling along. Two of his interns were at the Kerry meeting with him. Go AWD!

[Kukesa]

8. Sent my letter a minute ago.

n/t

[Kolesar]

9. The Senators "roll their eyes" when they hear about this bill

The talk around the Statehouse is that this bill has generated a lot of activity from the constituencies and the politicians are loathe to touch it. Their instincts are telling them to go "lie in the weeds" and not take a stand.

Gotta thank you for being one of those who sent feedback to the Senators.

[Kukesa]

10. That's what I'm here for, SpikeTrees.

Those senators work for us and it's time we let them know it. Glad to be of help.

[Don_G]

3. I'm Not Diplomatic Enough

To tell these assholes to accept the current Federal Insurance standards, move or invest their money in other countries where Nigeria can guarentee a 1000% interest rate.

[Kukesa]

5. Sounds a little like blackmail.

I hope they withhold their contributions forever.

I also didn't like the part about. . . guessing whether there are more Republicans or Democrats that live in homes along the Lake. What? Democrats are too poor or too scummy to own waterfront property? Sounds like they don't want rubbish like us fouling their beaches.

I'll write my reps tomorrow morning.

Thanks for the heads-up.