TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Illegal Campaign Signs On Council's Agenda

ADVERTISEMENT

By CHRISTIAN M. WADE

cwade@tampatrib.com

Published: February 26, 2009

TAMPA - They sprout from the ground every election, turning grass plots lining the city's sidewalks, roads and rights of way into a landscape of political pulpits.

For years, the city has had laws restricting the size of campaign signs and prohibiting candidates from posting them on public property. Fines can be levied, but code enforcers typically just scoop up the signs and toss them in the trash.

That bothers several city council members, who want tougher penalties for violators.

"We're not trying to limit free speech or First Amendment rights. We just want candidates to follow the laws that we have on the books," Councilman John Dingfelder said.

Council members are expected to discuss the issue at a workshop today, when they will ask Mayor Pam Iorio's administration to consider tougher restrictions before the next election.

"Candidates will start paying attention if they get fined," Dingfelder said.

Campaigns receive information about local codes when they qualify to run. But it rarely is the candidate or campaign manager out sticking signs in the soil. Rather, friends and volunteers spread the signs.

Sometimes the signs steal headlines from the candidates.

Ahead of the 2006 election, the Republican Party of Florida posted two giant posters on buildings in downtown Tampa, touting Charlie Crist as "the people's governor."

Although they were on private property, the signs violated Tampa's size restrictions, which prohibit anything larger than 2 feet by 4 feet from being posted in the city.
Chronic violators seldom are fined because of the time needed to investigate a code enforcement case, Dingfelder said. That's something the council wants to see changed.

"They use the normal code enforcement process, which takes way too long," he said. "By the time they've gathered enough evidence for a case, the election is over."

Reporter Christian M. Wade can be reached at (813) 259-7679.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT