To the Editor:
“The right to own property is the most fundamental and important civil right. Without property rights, there is no freedom.” – John Adams, Founding Father and 2 nd U.S. President
Our founding fathers took a stance that owning property was a right. Today, our rights are still protected
under the Bill of Rights; however, an elected official in our city does not agree with our founding fathers.
Joe Magliocca, one of the current Madison County Supervisors representing the fourth, fifth and sixth wards of the city of Oneida, stated in the July 18 City Council meeting that “Property ownership is a privilege, not a right” (see Oneida Daily Dispatch article “Oneida Taking Action on Nuisance Properties” written by Leah McDonald and posted July 20, 2017).
The Council was discussing nuisance properties in the city and the responsibility of the property owners to fix their property. While I agree that the nuisance property around the city is a concern and I believe the Council is addressing these issues accordingly, I do not agree that property ownership is a “privilege, not a right.”
Do we want someone representing our city at the county level who thinks in terms of privileges rather than rights?
Privileges are special treatment, or advantages, granted to a specified group of individuals. Who determines which group of people should have the privilege of owning property?
Is it only those with a certain income?
Or maybe people of certain social status?
As I, Tom Boylan, run against Mr. Magliocca in this election to represent the 4 th , 5 th , and 6 th Wards of the City of Oneida, please know that my stance couldn’t be further from Joe’s stance on our American right to own property. I spent six years of my life defending that right in the United States Marines. I did not spend those six years defending a “privilege.”
There is a clear choice here for the Madison County supervisor representing the City of Oneida’s fourth, fifth and sixth wards: vote for your rights. Vote for Tom Boylan.
Sincerely,
Tom Boylan, Republican and No-party Candidate, Oneida