Libertarians Protect Religion & Education From Seizure
Ron Paul sponsors legislation that will protect Long Island Church
HR4084, the Church Protection Act, sponsored by Ron Paul 3/23/00 (R-TX)
Libertarians Defend Church's Property Rights (LPNY press release 1/24/00)
CDA Seeks to Acquire Church Property -- from the Westbury News 1/14/00
Westbury, NY-5/23/00 Richard Cooper, State Chair of the Libertarian Party of New York (LPNY), called today for amending New York's eminent domain law to protect churches, synagogues, mosques, temples and non-governmental schools at all levels from seizure by the state and municipal governments. Libertarians reject eminent domain laws as violating property rights, but the importance of protecting freedom of thought and expression--made obvious by a case Cooper is involved with--inspired him to put religious and educational institutions out of harm's way first, as they must be close to their congregations and students to flourish.
The Town of North Hempstead's Community Development Agency (CDA) is trying to seize St. Luke's Pentecostal Church under the eminent domain law in the name of "community revitalization." Richard Cooper, then Libertarian Nassau County Chair, was outraged to learn of the church's plight from a story in THE WESTBURY TIMES by Jessica DeStefano reporting that a Town Zoning Board official said that "We have enough churches here in New Cassel. I would like to see done with the property what it was earmarked for...business." (see related links) Rallying the Libertarians to aid St. Luke's, Cooper noted that the Libertarians reject eminent domain and "urban renewal" programs as violations of rights and destructive of communities
Rev. Fred Jenkins bought a vacant church with the intent of renovating it for his St. Luke's Pentecostal Church which had gone 21 years without a building of their own. But the Town of North Hempstead Zoning Board blocked his permits. The CDA offered him $80,000, $50,000 less than he paid for it. Although his church enjoys tax-exempt status with the IRS, the county decided the property was not tax-exempt because the building did not open its doors. They claimed to have informed him, which he denies. And he has gotten $22,000 in property tax bills. To Richard Cooper, a Westbury businessman, these actions smell of trickery to deprive the poor congregation of its property on the cheap. "Town bureaucrats have replaced Martin Luther King's dream with a scheme," Cooper charges.
Responding to threats to churches, synagogues, mosques and temples by eminent domain backed with Federal funds, Congressman Ron Paul (R-TX) introduced a bill (H.R. 4084, the Church Protection Act of 2000) to bar the use of Federal funds in such cases. Paul learned of the efforts of the Libertarian Party of New York's Nassau County chapter on behalf of the bullied poor church. With the co-sponsorship of Congresswoman Carolyn Kilpatrick (D-MI), he re-introduced the legislation as an amendment to the housing bill. The amendment passed on April 6th on a voice vote. It now goes to the Senate for final passage of the housing bill before going to the President to become law.
Richard Cooper declared that "Moses said to Pharaoh: Let my people go. The Libertarian Party says to our modern Pharaoh: Let these people stay." Cooper contends that "Instead of protecting the people's right to property, the government is conducting legalized theft." Libertarian US Senate candidate John Clifton addressed a rally on March 25th for St. Luke's and pointed out that their situation was an example of the abuse of power the Libertarian Party is dedicated to combatting. Cooper notes that St. Luke's is not the only church threatened by eminent domain. In New Rochelle, two churches are amongst thirty businesses and twenty-nine homes threatened by eminent domain to benefit the proposed Ikea furniture store.
The Libertarian Party stands for individual liberty, free markets and personal responsibility in order to promote a society that enjoys justice, abundance and peace.