A Letter I Got in the Mail

Of Leaves and Law

Of the making or laws, there is no end!  One law made today will be voided in another.  A law made to day regarding piles of leaves only can be made to cover sand boxes the next.  You see, it is all about control.  Building codes can be very, very draconian.  They are as flexible as jello!

Beware exemptions.  Lawmakers should make no law that does not apply equally to themselves. This was the fault of Obamacare.  The Town of Marlinton is just as negligent as any property owner, maybe moreso.

In the Pocahontas Times, the town council is taking yet another step to turn all of its citizens into snitches.  Neighbor against neighbor.  Friend against friend.  If you don't like your neighbor, turn him/her into the town official and they will send a storm trooper out to hassle your neighbor.

One person observed that this ordinance hasn't been published in the paper, yet it is being constantly revised.  Already we are hearing of commercial business running for the mountains to get away with the same law that they wish to impose on other people.

I have gone over town and demonstrated with pics that buildings have been allowed to be built which are no up to code.  Even the Town building itself would not pass inspection.

But what is really getting people is when the town proposes to send an inspector in their bathrooms and bedrooms.  THIS IS A BRIDGE TOO FAR.

At this point we are hearing that the law will only apply to "rentals".  As one person in the know said,  It only takes a change in one word to make it apply to everyone.  Rentals are low hanging fruit on the tree of liberty.  Sgt York the WWI hero/sniper said that he hunted Germans the same way he hunted turkeys in Tenn.  He would pick off the last one in a column and soon he would be up to the leader.

That is what is happening here in Marlinton.  The council figures that rentals are least likely to  to object government intrusion upon their privacy.  (I personally doubt this assumption.) But they will be the first to experience the pain when the landlord complies with code and ups their rent to pay for the improvement.  THEY WILL HAVE NO RECOURSE AT ALL.

So let's look at this ordinance in depth from this week's Times

I am highlighting the most glaring problems below without further comment.

Town Council Exempts Commercial Business from Its Own Ordinance

Proposed 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution

"Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United States that does not apply equally to the Senators and/or Representatives; and, Congress shall make no law that applies to the Senators and/or Representatives that does not apply equally to the citizens of the United States."

The Town Council is considering a building ordinance that would exclude the commercial businesses of Marlinton while focusing on rental units only.  

Ironically some of the worst offenders of this proposed ordinance are the very commercial businesses which are exempted including the Town of Marlinton.  We are told that Marlinton Elem is falling down (i.e. the levy supporters) so what would happen if another floods wrecks Marlinton?  The question would be:  Could owners afford to fix the town back to could or would there be all kinds of exemptions granted like this one

The Pocahontas Commentator fully supports personal property rights and is concerned with this new ordinance when is a blatant invasion of personal privacy as well as an ordinance that will ultimately lead to disaster for the town itself in that private properties will be devalued,  the building inspector will be able to enter your home and go through your house without an invitation based solely on the complaint of a neighbor.

This effectively turns every inhabitant in the town of Marlinton into a potential snitch against their neighbors.  In fact, this ordinance should be considered a true "hate" crime.  If you don't like the color of his skin you report a violation of the building code to the town and they will invade your neighbor's privacy, and go through his home room by room.

If you get into a fuss with your neighbor, it is easy to make him squirm--just report a violation (which he is very certain to have) to the Town.  They will do your dirty work for you and if they find something wrong they can order you to fix (regardless of how much it costs.)  No fix--they put a lien on your property.  That hinders the sale of your property and you can't even leave town until it is fixed.

I have gone around town taking pictures of both public, commercial, and private property to show that even the Town won't obey is own codes, the commercial bldgs are sometimes the worst violators but are exempt, and some private places that would have to go to expense to fix their property.

Geo Ed Visuals 2016

Street Copy

Further Study of RESA Scores.