If you remember my position on political signage from the last commission campaign- where instead of signs- I put out trash cans, you know I’m laughing about this one.
Someone downtown is nervous about the battle of the signs- maybe because the endorsed candidates aren’t doing as good a job at mucking up the place.
This went out via email on the 14th (sorry- I’ve been super busy)
From: Owens, David <[email protected] [1]>
Date: Wednesday, October 14, 2015
Subject: Placement of Political Signage, City of Dayton
To: Colette Moorman, Mia Spells, Darryl Fairchild, Chris Shaw, Scott Sliver, John McManus, Nancy Nearny, Sheila Taylor, Robert Walker
Cc: “Landon, Dave” <[email protected] [2]>
Dear Candidate:
Please see the attached information [3] on the placement of political signage in the City of Dayton, and please pass this information along to your campaigns.
Thank You,
David Owens
Montgomery County Board of Elections
Campaign Finance
451 West Third St.
Dayton, OH 45481
Office: (937) 225-5669 [4]|Fax: (937) 496-7798 [5]
www.mcboe.org [6] | [email protected]
Here is the copy from the PDF (that I had to make accessible):
SUBJECT: Placement of Political Signage
As we move into the height of the election season please be advised of the following with respect to
the placement of political signage within the City of Dayton:
• Under the Zoning Ordinance (R.C.G.O. Chapter 150), political signs are permissible
“temporary signs” for placement on private property, with the property owner’s consent.
• All signs should be placed in a manner which maintains traffic visibility at all times.
• Political signs are strictly prohibited from placement within the public right-of-way. Those
which remain in the right-of-way may be subject to removal.
• All signs should be promptly removed on November 4th.
Note- they didn’t send a notice to Matt Joseph…. hmmmmm. His signs are all over the public rights of way too. They also neglected to write the Sinclair people- or the state issue people.
Selective enforcement is actionable, isn’t it?
I was always soooo tempted to remove the signs that always end up in the median of Steve Whalen Blvd but worried that someone (with power or “influence”) would twist some laws and I’d get in trouble. My removal would be non-partisan too!
Those political signs are an awesome way to make a junky city look junkier.
I remember having a discussion with Tim Riordan and at one point with Joey Williams about political signs. I proposed a candidate fee of $200 to place signs in the city at certain public locations where signs would be very visible but not impose on traffic line of sight. The city planners could produce a map of appropriate locations. If the candidate complied they would get their money refunded. If they didn’t then the money would defray the cost of disposal. Both thought it was a decent idea but concluded that those up for election next would not agree. This kind of control could be applied county wide so as not to make our main thoroughfares look tacky. It would also reduce the number of signs placed in public areas and place greater effort on getting signs out on private property. They are called YARD SIGNS after all.
I always figured candidates paid people for each sign they place and some of the workers were just lazy! I saw 10-12 signs from the same candidate placed 2′ apart.
Sinclair is Public Property since it’s supported by the public yet . . . .