Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1999 23:11:07 -0800
From: sheila

Here's the problem:  The City Council was, apparently, manipulated
into passing a "theft by legislation" ordinance.  The ordinance
states that the city can take any "non-working" vehicle from private
property and dispose of it for junk (give it to someone) -- no matter
the value of the vehicle.  They can put the PROPERTY owner (not the
vehicle owner) in jail for 30 days for each "day of infraction," fine
the owner $300.00 a day and put a lien against the real property for
the fine and "costs" of removing the vehicle.  I can fax you the
ordinance, and ("procedures.")

But only valuable cars seem to be targeted.  A friend found four real
junkers which had been sitting dead for years, but which were ignored
when neighbors complained.  There are 27 really dead cars within a 4
block radius of my house.  The city isn't interested.

It's really a nasty ordinance, I'm told; one unquotable source said,
"This isn't intended to clean up the city, it's intended to scare the
---- out of little old ladies and little old men and get them to sign
over their cars."  And another person said, "Cars heck!  They're
after your property!"

It's people who can't fight back, and who have valuable cars who seem
to get "complaints."  One person had to be out of town, low on funds,
and give the city wrecker his old Hudsons rather than risk losing his
house when the city placed liens against it for the cost of removing
the vehicles and for the fines.  After he let them have his old
Hudsons, he was allowed to put blue tarps around his valueless van,
and keep it.  (They won't let me do that.)  Another person was
targeted right after his mother died, and not really a functioning
well.  REPORTEDLY, one 81(?) year-old recent widow signed over the
title to her late model car when threatened with a law suit and
losing her house. The car had just been paid off by the insurance
when her husband died. The car was "non-working" because it did not
have windshield wipers and side mirrors, possibly 2 lug nuts.

In my case, I am very ill, recently widowed, and have had a yard full
of cars for the past six years. They all ran. They're 5 to 20 feet
off the street, and two are in my fenced back yard, out of sight of
the street.  No complaints were ever made.  Now, however, batteries
were stolen, gas tanks drained, parts stolen, and otherwise
vandalized to make them "non-working."  I've been harassed -- early am
threatening phone calls, my garbage scattered, things stolen, other
malicious acts.  They appear to be after the two 29-year cars I
bought almost new.

Contrary to city "procedures,"  I've received a citation.   According
to city hall, they can fine me $300 a day for approximately 30 days,
or put me in jail for a year (30 days for each "day of infraction")
AND fine me $5,000. At least I now know that I will never die of a
heart attack - if that didn't give me one, nothing will.

The judge told me I can have three vehicles (because I'm by myself I
don't need any more).  It doesn't matter if they're running or not,
or in a "building" or not, I only need three vehicles.  (The person
who gave up his old cars was allowed to put his van in a blue tarp
"building" allowed by ordinance.)  She would allow me to keep my
driver, a 79 T-Bird, and my two collectibles.  Never mind I need the
truck as a second driver.

The next day, about 7pm, I surprise a scruffy prowler in my fenced
back yard.  He tells me the city sent him to tow off my two old cars.
When I tell him the judge said I could keep them, he said, "Oh,
that's for the criminal matter, to keep you out of jail.  The city
can still take these cars - that's a civil matter. They're going to
charge you for taking them.  And boy it's gonna cost."  He looked up
at my old house, and said something to the effect that my house
wasn't worth the cost of towing off the cars."  I told him - rather
forcefully - to leave.  He did.

I can't afford an attorney. I'm not low-income - I'm poor.  I'm so
poor I'm still living off the Christmas basket the Lions gave me.  At
least I'm eating a balanced diet - a can of fruit yesterday, a can of
vegetables today, a can of pork and beans tomorrow.  I'm regaining my
girlish figure - the one I had when I was ten.

Now we have reason to believe they're going after several other
widows soon.  In my case, I know that if I signed over the two cars
they'd let me alone - they let one person keep the rest of his
property after he signed over his collectibles - but I'm an angry,
frightened old woman, too stupid and stubborn to give in, and I don't
want to see other people lose everything they've worked all their
lives for.

Can you help us in any way?   Do you know someone who's willing to
speak out on this ordinance?  Or any organizations who might be able
to help?   Or, if you're not interested at this time, do you know
any investigative reporters, or newspapers or magazines who might be
interested?  Any one willing to write letters to the local papers and
councilors?  We feel most of the council members would not support
this ordinance if they were aware of how they're being used.

AND ideas?  Suggestions?  White knights?  Black knights?  A Don
Quixote?  I'll polish his armor and feed the horse.  (Or mule.)

Thanks!


Sheila Smith
PO Box 530
Canyonville, OR 97417
541-839-4085