Opinion: Placement of political signs

I've been on both sides of the political sign issue. As a long-time office holder and candidate, I've been responsible for the placement of many of my own political signs. And, as a councilperson, I've been adamant about sign placement being legal. Most municipal ordinances require that signs be placed only for 30 days before an election and for a very few days following each election cycle. Signs may only be placed with the precise permission of the owner and cannot be placed on any municipals rights of way.

So, to the point of my commentary.

Traveling down a major street on Flint's eastern border, I could not help but notice that every vacant property and several empty lots had multiple signs from various candidates. Many were placed in the right-of-way. These were probably all illegally placed.

In the city, I've noticed that one candidate in particular seems to have political signs on many vacant homes. One doubts that permission was granted for the placement. That candidate's opponent, on the other hand, seems to have signs only on occupied residential property — apparently with the permission of the owner or occupant.

Signs don't vote, so maybe the issue is unimportant. But I think the sign placement issue may be a reflection on a candidate's attitude about the law, about aesthetics and may even be an indicator of his or her attitude about voters.

I'm sure that I've had the occasional illegally placed Minore sign — but I've tried to avoid that.  Once, several years ago, an eager volunteer placed a dozen or so signs on a wide parkway. I had them moved within an hour of discovering the error. In several campaigns, I chose not to even use yard signs to avoid the clutter and the waste of material.

I don't appreciate the misplacement of political signs.

We used to have police and building inspectors remove them — but that was when we had larger municipal staffs in both departments.

I tend to be influenced by a candidate's attitude about campaign sign placement and the law. I'd encourage all readers to take that into consideration, too.

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Jack Minore is a retired teacher, former long-serving city councilperson, former legislator and active in a number of political and environmental groups - notably the Flint River Watershed Coalition and Friends of the Flint River Trail. Jack was in the original group that formed East Village Magazine.