“ I’m for bringing new jobs and industry into our county, but I find it being done in an immature manner. If the farmer wants to sell or not that’s his business and I’ll support the farmer on his God given right to own the ground he has worked his life for. The farm land isn’t just the price of what an acre is worth but also the future of what profit is made from the crop and the acre. Eminent Domain to me means there is to much government control over a person’s properties, and forcing someone to sell for less than what he has put into it is morally wrong. But by Great Lakes Cheese filing Eminent Domain that to me shows that the corporation doesn’t care about the people, that money talks. A second note with an IDA if my research is correct, it’s suppose to give tax breaks to new businesses and Great Lakes Cheese has been a company in our county for many decades. So who is going to pay for the tax break difference, the people will pay the tax difference.”
Dustin Gordon, Challenger in District 5. Read our interview with Dustin Here
“I would like to see both parties come to a fair and equitable agreement so we can see sustainable economic growth in our county” Gretchen Hanchett, Challenger in District 2
“NO EMINENT DOMAIN. Current legislators need to have a backbone. There is no way behind closed doors that this was an unforced unanimous decision, I know this from 4 years of being there. Sitting weak legislators allowed themselves to be bullied by others in that room. A vote for me for District 3 Legislator in the current Republican Primary going on NOW is a guaranteed vote against eminent domain. I’m the only person running in my district that has a PROVEN record and enough guts to vote no. Last primary, 4 years ago only 2 to 300 people voted in the primary and see what you got? You MUST vote and do so now thru June 22. Absentee voting starts very soon and early voting June 12. My position on eminent domain in this situation is very simple. This is a transaction between two private businesses and government needs to stay in their lane and stay out. You don’t “take” one’s private business for the benefit of another’s private business and I’ll be willing to debate anyone publicly on this issue.” – Scott Burt, District 3 Legislative Candidate
My observation(s) of the eminent domain…. If I were to make an educated guess based on the actions I have witnessed by these farmers. I would say that they are trying to extract more money out of this property and not trying to preserve the land as being claimed.
I run a construction company which takes me to all parts of the County on a weekly basis, I see and observe many things throughout the County. Which brings me to this observation of the eminent domain property. It was not that long ago that the same property was up for sale to become a water park; however, for whatever reasons this never came to be. Another thing is, if the farmers did not intend on selling the property why did they demolition barns the same week this deal became public knowledge? They have also allowed a survey company on the property and gave permission to do said surveying work along with allowing a water drilling service on the property doing water testing. These do not seem like actions of someone who does not want or intend to sell a property.
I am all for the farmer and the dairy industry. It’s an amazing advantage we have in this County to have a cheese plant and the amount of raw milk that they purchase from this County along with the revenues they create. It would be a real tragedy if we lost another industrial business here.
Adam B Cyr, Candidate for Allegany Co. Dist. 3 Legislator
“I’ve had some time to review both sides of the Great Lakes Cheese move. I think both sides should sit down and try to come up with a fair price. The owner of the farm land has stated he will sell for the right price. It’s no different then when I bought my house and made am offer only to have the sellers make a counter offer. The owner has a price he believes is fair and the IDA made an offer they think is fair. I would like both sides to meet before the county tries for eminent domain. If the County gets tied up in a major legal battle then we could loose Great Lake Cheese anyway. The county needs the jobs this would create so I really hope the two sides can come to an agreement soon before we loose Great Lake Cheese.”
-James Rumfelt, Candidate For District 4(Wellsville/Andover)
Read Our Interview With James Rumfelt Here
