Family plans protests over eminent-domain eviction Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 07/6/06
BY GENE RACZ
GANNETT NEW JERSEY
PISCATAWAY — Facing eviction from their 75-acre Pisctaway farm at 3 p.m. Monday, the Halper family plans to hold rallies protesting the eminent-domain ruling that will force them from their home and business. "Some people will arrive Saturday, and we plan to have rallies on Sunday and Monday afternoon," said Clara Halper, wife of Larry Halper, whose family owns the farm on the corner of South Washington Avenue and Metlars Lane. "There'll be people who oppose eminent-domain laws. . . . We'll have some people speak."
As of Wednesday, the rallies had not yet been scheduled.
The Halper family and Piscataway Township have been locked in a bitter dispute since the fall of 1999 over the farm that the township has seized under eminent-domain laws for the purpose of open-space preservation.
The New Jersey Supreme Court has recently ruled that the Halper farm action qualifies as "public purpose" and open space under eminent domain.
The Halper family contends that the seizure process has been rife with conflicts of interest involving attorneys, judges and township officials.