posted
Here's a little clippit from the daily news that gets emailed to me every morning.. it's a story about political signs in town being stolen..
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LAKE HAVASU CITY, Ariz.- Campaign signs are turning up missing all around Lake Havasu City. The culprits don't appear to have any political preferences though, as virtually all the Lake Havasu City Council Candidates have had some signs get damaged or disappear all together. " (I've lost ) approximately 200 right now. We lost about 58 in one night a couple weeks ago. We lost about a dozen last (Thursday) night along Mesquite. I understand that people get emotionally involved in these campaigns, but it doesn't make a heck of a lot of sense," said incumbent Sam Scarmardo. Challenger Marie Meahl has an optimistic view on the situation. " I just presumed they were collector's items," Meahl said. Meahl along with Scarmardo and challenger Bob Crabtree also said that their signs weren't just blown away. The rebar holding the signs is missing as well in many of the cases. Stealing or damaging a political sign is a criminal offense, punishable by law.
------------------ Mike Pipes Digital Illusion Custom Graphics Lake Havasu City, AZ http://www.stickerpimp.com
Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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posted
We've had somewhat of the same problem here, however it turns out that the major culprit has been the state highway division. They have a guy going around removing signs that have been illegally placed on the highway right of way. They notified the sheriff's office that they had about 600 political signs at their yard, and if any candidates are missing signs, they might check and see if they are in the highway department's burn pile. They also said that they intend to continue removing the signs, and in some cases may bill the offending candidate for the removal. Sounds fair to me!
------------------ Jerry Mathel Jerry Mathel Signs Grants Pass, Oregon signs@grantspass.com
[This message has been edited by jmathel (edited October 30, 2000).]
Posts: 916 | From: Grants Pass, OR USA | Registered: Dec 1998
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posted
Not only do they remove them Jerry but you can go to their yard and pick them up! Then all you got to do is remove the vinyl and make whatever you want from them. So tell me, do these persons running for office have Sign Permits for these signs like everyone else has to?
------------------ During my 45 years as a Pinstriper, I took the initiative and created the Inflite Killerkart for all to enjoy and work from. See it go to work at http://www.killerkoncepts.com
Political signs are under Federal regulations which supercede any state or local ordinances. As such, no, political signs do not require permits unless a structure must be built. The structure must meet building codes and the structure itself may be subject to state and local ordinances.
posted
Glenn, One of the recent changes in one of our local sign ordinances involved eliminating the standards for political signs. They grouped political signs in with construction signs, temporary signs, for sale signs, and the like. The reason for this is that if the signs are content sensitive then it's a first amendment violation and there will be increasing litigation resulting from those laws in the near future.
------------------ The SignShop Mendocino, California "Where the Redwoods meet the Surf"
Posts: 6718 | From: Mendocino, CA. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
Back around 1968 there was a fella named Mike Tuck who ran for a local office up around northern California somewhere...he had signs made up that just said TUCK top and bottom; white & red on top and white & blue on the bottom one. Then once they were up he HIMSELF went out at night with a rattle can and defaced his own signs by adding a bar to the first T making it into an F. So now the signs read;
F**K TUCK
Thought he might get enough sympathy votes. It didn't work.
------------------ "If it isn't fun, why do it?" Signmike@aol.com Mike Languein Doctor of Letters BS, MS, PhD ___________________
You know what BS is, MS is More of the Same, and it's Piled Higher and Deeper here
posted
The county commisioners just signed in a new sign ordinance. One of the many changes they made were to allow signs up to 4x8 for political signs and reduced For Sale for property or homes signs to 6 sq. ft. Go figger that one out? If they had any brains, they would really be dangerous!
------------------ Jackson Smart Jackson's Signs Port Angeles, WA ...."The Straits of Juan De Fuca in my front yard and Olympic National Park in my backyard...
"Living on Earth is expensive...but it does include a free trip around the Sun"
Posts: 1000 | From: Port Angeles, Washington | Registered: Jan 1999
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posted
Jack, That's exactly the thing our lawyers are trying to get away from. The content of the message being political rather than commercial is being challenged in many areas as a freedom of speach violation. Suppose the municipality is held financially responsible for personal damage by someone. It's happening, and a sharp city attorney will direct ordinance changes accordingly. I'm not saying its right or wrong, just what's happening.
------------------ The SignShop Mendocino, California "Where the Redwoods meet the Surf"
Posts: 6718 | From: Mendocino, CA. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
I just had a local politicians office call me wanting me to make signs. I told them I don't do that type of work but they need to plan better than that for any shop to do it. I don't think I would vote for a politician who waits until a week before election day to order signs.
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