Political Signs

Sometimes I have a possible story, but then things happen and I let it go.  Except it keeps coming back. 

About four weeks ago I noticed a Parnell Sign on what I always thought was a government built fence on the right of way at Lake Otis and 36th.  I thought that because when they did the bike trail they put in one fence all the way along the block and then added a flower planter at the corner.  It had flowers the first two summers and has been weeds since.












And there were two little signs on the big red sign. 

One said the sign was authorized by the property owner. 




The other said it was illegal. 




So I called the numbers on the "illegal" sign attached to the sign. 

The State told me that things related to political signs on the right of way were complicated right now because of a US Supreme Court decision and they were reviewing all their policies.

The Municipal planning person said he'd send someone out and check and if it was on the public right of way it would be torn down. 


I know it stayed up for at least another week, maybe two. 

Sometimes seeing something that isn't there is harder than seeing something that is there.  I went by the corner often and I'd get home and think, "Is that sign still there or not?  I don't recall seeing it, but maybe I'm just used to it now."

That  happened again just this last Friday.  I still had my bike out, so I just rode back to check it out.  No sign, and probably there hasn't been a sign up for a while now, which is why I couldn't remember seeing it.  Because I didn't see it. 


Ah, so it must have been found illegal and taken down. 

But today as I headed over to UAA, I noticed it was back, plus another sign had joined it.  Tomorrow is the election.  Campaign underlings often get ambitious and the candidates, especially for a major office, can't keep track of all this stuff. 

Nevertheless, if there were big fines for this sort of thing, maybe it wouldn't happen so much.  Or maybe candidates would put up their opponent's sign so he'd get fined.  Every time you make a rule, someone finds a way to mess with it.