Treaspass? Eminent Domain? Why Are They Ending Road Work Anyway?
- Unauthorized “End Road Work” sign on MY PROPERTY!
By Art Gallagher
Imagine my surprise this morning as I’m returning home from my Sunday drive into downtown Highlands for breakfast and the newspapers when I notice the sign pictured on the left posted on MY PROPERTY!
Who’s ending road work? I thought that was how Obama, Pelosi and Reid were going to save the economy?!
How long has that sign been on my property? I’ve been keeping odd hours lately, but how did I miss it? Surely government workers were working overtime on Saturday to post that sign on MY PROPERTY.
Who do I call? Mayor Little? Hmmm, I live on a county road, is it too early to call Director Burry?
How much rent should I charge? I think I’ll charge $15,000. That would cover the property taxes I pay in Highlands for a year. But this is a county road, prime real estate. Thousands of commuters, including Oceanport Council President Joe Irace drive past my house everyday on their way to the SeaStreak ferry to NY. We’re coming into the prime sign season as politicians are usually very nice to me around now so that I’ll let them put their signs on MY PROPERTY.
I’ll have to think this through and consult an attorney. How long will the road work be going on? Maybe I can charge enough rent to cover property taxes for two years! Maybe I can get the 5 acre requirement for farm designation waived so that my property can be declared a fish farm and I’ll get a property tax break forever!
Here’s what I’ll do. I won’t file trespassing charges and I won’t charge rent. Why would I want to gouge my neighbors and friends anyway? I’ll let the sign stay there for free so long as the union workers who do the road work earn market rate wages instead of “prevailing wage.” If I’m not going to gouge my neighbors, why should they?
That sounds like a fair deal to me. Draw up the papers Lillian, I’ll be calling.
Posted: September 19th, 2010 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Anna Little, Freeholder, Highlands, Lillian Burry, Prevailing Wage, Road Work | 5 Comments »