Blog for Highland Park: January 2006

About Me

Location: Highland Park, New Jersey, United States

I am a freelance writer and community activist who has worked on many progressive and Democratic political campaigns over the last 25 plus years and a lifelong resident of Highland Park, NJ. I have a BA in Journalism from Rutgers University, an MA in Middle East Studies from Harvard University, and an MEd in English Education from Rutgers Graduate School of Education. An enthusiastic amateur astronomer, I have just completed Swinburne University Astronomy Online's Graduate Certificate of Science in astronomy and am pursuing a Masters of Science in astronomy at Swinburne. I am also an actress with experience in theatre and film and have written a full length play. I am currently working full time on a book "The Little Planet That Would Not Die: Pluto's Story."

Thursday, January 05, 2006

A New Year's Resolution

The beginning of a New Year is a time to set goals and priorities and create a vision for the future. That's why Highland Park citizens opposed to the use of eminent domain to give property to private developers are beginning 2006 by asking the Borough Council to adopt a resolution recently adopted by Middlesex Borough. That resolution reads as follows:

WHEREAS, the Borough of Middlesex has completed it Visioning Process under a grant from the Office of Smart Growth; and

WHEREAS, A. Nelessen Associates conducted the process to completion: and

WHEREAS, A. Nelessen Associates presented the Borough of Middlesex with its work products titled: Recommended Vision by the People of Middlesex (June 2005) and a Master Plan Amendment; and

WHEREAS, the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Middlesex accepted the Recommended Vision by the People of Middlesex at their Public Meeting of July 12, 2005; and

WHEREAS, it is not the desire of the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Middlesex to use Eminent Domain to implement any of the suggestions or recommendations of the Recommended Vision by the People of Middlesex;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Middlesex, County of Middlesex, State of New Jersey pledge to the property owners, business owners and residents of the Borough of Middlesex not to use Eminent Domain while moving forward in implementing the Recommended Vision by the People of Middlesex.

Many of us in Highland Park would like to see our borough follow Middlesex's example and adopt a similar resolution. All that needs to be changed are the references to Middlesex, which can be substituted with "Highland Park." The Council has already been presented with a copy of this resolution. Adopting it would go a very long way toward easing the anxiety and trepidation of many property owners both in and outside the current redevelopment zone by assuring them in writing that the borough will forego any use of eminent domain.

Within the next few weeks, Highland Park Citizens for Property Rights Protection will be collecting signatures asking the Council to adopt this resolution. If you believe the taking of property to hand it over to private developers is wrong, please sign this petition and please come to Council meetings and urge adoption of this resolution.

Happy New Year!