Dear Friends: Today IJ and its Castle Coalition announced the launch of the "Hands Off My Home" campaign. We have pledged at least $3 million to the fight to end the use of eminent domain for private profit. This campaign will focus the universal wave of opposition to the Kelo ruling into the only venue left for home and small business owners in desperate need of protection: state courts, state legislatures, and the initiative process.
Over the next year, the Castle Coalition will educate, support and coordinate grassroots activism to end eminent domain abuse at the state and local level. At the same time, the Institute for Justice will go to the state courts and ask them to place limits on the abuse of eminent domain. Each state has its own constitutional prohibition on eminent domain for private use. Even if the U.S. Constitution provides no protection, state constitutions can still prevent state and local governments from taking homes and businesses for the benefit of private business. As we move forward, we will announce a series of actions that ordinary citizens can take to end eminent domain abuse. Today we sent a letter to the Governors of each state to sign the Hands Off My Home Pledge that they will work to end the use of eminent domain for private development in their state. We ask you, in honor of Independence Day, to call or email your Governor and ask him or her to sign the Hands Off My Home Pledge. We will announce on the Castle Coalition website when each Governor signs it. In the coming weeks, we will extend the same pledge to state legislators and local government officials. ********************************************************************* The Hands Off My Home Pledge: I pledge to the citizens of this State that I will: Oppose efforts by my state government or municipalities within my state to use the government power of eminent domain for private development. Support legislation and other efforts to ensure that the citizens of this state are safe from eminent domain for private development. ********************************************************************* To contact your governor, use the email or phone number below: New Jersey <http://www.state.nj.us/> Gov. Richard J. Codey 609-292- 6000 e-mail: <http://www.nj.gov/dca/contactus/contact.shtml> Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AsburyPark/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
