In a recent column, Editorial Page Editor Paul Chioniere stated that it was my desire to “punish” the NLDC for eminent domain and that, for this reason, I supported the city taking title to all of the deeds at Fort Trumbull.

This is simply untrue.

I stand behind my firm belief that the taking of private property for private economic development is not only a violation of the 5th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, but is also a classist and racist act.

The Kelo case (the United States Supreme Court Case that allowed the use of eminent domain at Fort Trumbull) was narrowly, and I believe wrongly, decided. Several Justices in the case majority have publically regretted the decision since. Indeed, this case may soon be overturned. New London, however, could act now.

If New London’s leaders chose to, or if its people demanded it, the city could change course before corporate America, and local wealthy elites, decide New London’s development future, rather than all the people of this city.

The reason I supported, and still support, taking back the deeds and abolishing the NLDC/RCDA can be more easily related to the readers of The Day, and Choiniere himself, by describing a meeting held regarding a Fort Trumbull development project when I was mayor.

A few years ago, the city was involved in a development discussion with the executive board and staff of the NLDC/RCDA at the law offices of its president.

Day staffers and a Day reporter were there, as were three city councilors, two city staff members and myself. Several developers and lawyers were also present.

I would estimate that there were at least 20 people at this meeting. Of these, only four were less than 50; the age of the average New Londoner is 30. All but one person present was white; New London is a majority-minority city. Only three women were in attendance. Also, everyone in that room made far more than the average full-time New London worker’s $25,000 per year salary.

When the critical moment came in the meeting for the agency to act, they voted to go into executive session. The city’s mayor, the councilors, the city staff, and the press were left to wait out in the hallway to learn what had been decided while the board of the development agency met in secret.

At the time, I made the point and I make it again now that the people meeting in executive session did not look anything like the people of the City of New London, nor were they accountable to them. That means the decisions made regarding the development of our city will be made in the interests of who is in that room -- that often-locked room -- disproportionately filled with wealthy, white, male, big-business people.

That’s not New London, but, of course, I should forgive Choiniere if he does not know that so clearly. After all, he doesn’t live in New London.

Daryl Finizio was formerly the mayor of New London.