…and who NOT to vote for!
Every year, it falls to me to grouse and complain about the abuse of the public trust practiced by certain local candidates who seem to think they own the whole damn road. I’m not talking about the driving, I’m talking about their signs in the public right-of-way.
This year on May 23rd, I wrote to City Attorney Richard Pfeiffer to complain about violations of the Columbus City Code. The relevant section of code is 902.02 (a).
902.02 Obstructing sidewalks or streets.
(a) No person, regardless of intent, shall place, deposit, maintain, or use, or cause or permit to be placed, deposited, maintained, or used upon any street, alley, sidewalk, highway, or right-of-way any materials, containers, vending equipment, structures, appliances, furniture, merchandise, bench, stand, sign, or advertising of any kind, or any other similar device or obstruction except as authorized by the transportation administrator, as required by Chapter 903 of the Columbus City Code.
I did get a very nice and considerate voice mail, along with a suggestion to forward my letter to Public Safety Directory Henry Guzman, but neither of these guys has completely solved the problem.
I don’t drive very often, but I did happen to drive down Olentangy to dinner tonight and in a half-mile stretch, I saw signs from five different candidates! The offenders cluttering the public landscape were:
- Phill Harmon, unendorsed Republican
- Mary Jo Hudson, endorsed Democrat
- Jay Perez, endorsed Democrat
- Mike Rankin, endorsed Democrat
- Amy Salerno, endorsed Republican (Ms. Salerno is the winner of this tacky contest, having staked out seven signs on every corner of the intersection of Goodale and Olentangy River Road)
These signs collect all month, blowing all over the street, and then no one takes them down after the election. Public land belongs to everyone, and is not to be used to one candidate’s personal benefit. And may I remind my readers of the irony here, three of the above candidates openly violating city law and the public trust are running for judge?
Party and qualifications be damned. If you put up a sign on public property, you lose my vote. Let’s have a little dignity and respect for the process.
Good post – nice citation to the applicable law and “fair and balanced” commentary on the offending candidates. Thanks!
I would like to comment that I received word from a staff member of one of the candidates. This candidate is unhappy that the candidate’s eager supporters are placing signs in the public right of way, and the staff member is removing the signs. He promised to go out soon after the election and remove all the signs. I can understand that candidates have eager supporters and can’t always monitor their actions, but it is disappointing that our candidates for elective office can’t control the people who are working on their behalf, and that responsible city officials aren’t out there enforcing the law. It is not appropriate for a candidate to hide behind anonymous supporters when signs are being placed on public land. But, I do appreciate the gesture.
It’s about time! I know this has been a thorn in your side for a while, and it sounds like you’re having an effect. Just be careful – if you write it down, they can use it against you at your confirmation hearings.
Now that the political things are over, would it be possible to discuss something a little more serious? The other day I was looking in my cupboard for dare I say FOOD?
I came across a product I have never eaten, but my spouse apparently wanted to eat it, so he purchased it. We have in the cupboard, Minute Rice which makes sense sort of, it takes actually about five minutes to make not one minute. We have Rice a Roni that favorite San Fransico treat. We have PREMIUM MINUTE RICE, which is the same Minute RIce as the plain but it costs more money and has less meal moths living it. But I came across the product my husband bought that I have never eaten…. UNCLE BENS CONVERTED RICE.
I want to know who is Uncle Ben? How did he become a rice expert? And what did the rice used to be, before it was COVERTED? Was it Jewish? Catholic? or perhaps it was FLOUR or SUGAR?
It is now 3am and I am still wondering the mysterious way of Uncle Bens Converted Rice.
If any of you have a favorite rice you could vote it on my web page, but sadly I have no such web page and have decided to fill this web page with meanderings and musings until I drive Bill Cash crazy.
Signed Jusme
Bill’s mom is awesome. Pushing the buttons until he goes insane! And to think we will get a first hand account of sanity slowly dripping from him like a leaky faucet. Now that is good reading.
Dear Justme, as you wonder in the night – here is your answer: http://huzenlaubpatents.blogspot.com/
Shockingly, the last comment isn’t spam!