Moses could seize private land but needed voter approval for township-owned land

Evidence

Jones Beach was owned by the townships of Hempstead, Oyster Bay and Babylon, and while the Long Island State Park Commission could buy, condemn or appropriate land owned by private individuals, state law provided that property owned by a township could be transferred to other ownership only by a vote of the township’s residents. — Robert A. Caro, The Power Broker, 897

Categorization

• QUESTION: Worth checking how Moses eventually defeated the township referendum requirement — whether he got the vote or found a loophole.
• XREF: connects to: Robert Moses threatened farmers with eminent domain when charm failed — Robert A. Caro, The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the…, 795; Moses appropriated private land before completing state-mandated negotiations or funding — Robert A. Caro, The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the…, 808; A court found Moses had seized private property illegally and beyond his powers — Robert A. Caro, The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the…, 828 (+3 more)

Broader Connections

• Moses used publicity tours to recast seized land as public park #expands (0.85) — Robert A. Caro, The Power Broker, 942
• Moses reneged on an agreed deferral and seized even unappropriated property #expands (0.85) — Robert A. Caro, The Power Broker, 819
• Moses withheld land-taking powers inside what sponsors assumed were routine park bills #qualifies (0.80) — Robert A. Caro, The Power Broker, 787