DECEMBER 15, 2025 – The Libertarian Party of New York condemns the Oswego Common Council’s 7-0 vote to revoke Anthony Schmitt’s permission to maintain a wheelchair ramp on his property, ordering its removal over his refusal to sign a waiver and pay a fee for minor encroachment on public space.
This exemplifies government overreach violating property rights and liberty. Schmitt built a portable ramp that flips up to avoid obstructing the sidewalk, accommodating a family member’s disability. The city’s demands amount to regulatory extortion, ignoring common sense and compassion.
Property owners should control their land without interference, absent harm to others. This ramp poses no real threat.
We urge Oswego officials to reverse this decision, respect individual rights, and halt coercive local regulations. New Yorkers need freedom from unnecessary government burdens.