Put Up a Sign, Go to Jail (With Million Dollar Bail)

A Los Angeles building owner was arrested for putting up one of those building-sized signs that the city finds distracting and ugly--and initially hit with $1 million bail. For background and more exposition on what a sneaky move the bail (later reduced to just $100,000) was, see my entry at my California news and politics blog "City of Angles."

See former Reason magazine editor Virginia Postrel way back in 1999 on why laws against such "supergraphics" are dumb to begin with.

Comments

[Buster]

A complete list of things caused by global warming

http://www.numberwatch.co.uk/warmlist.htm

[Tulpa]

Bloggers promoting themselves at Hit & Run: not just for Lonewacko anymore.

[R C Dean]

Waitaminit - Los Angeles claims that some sign is distracting and ugly? Compared, in that town, to what?

[Colonel_Angus]

Obviously not compared to the town.

[JW]

We warned you about the danger of putting stupidide in the water supply of municipal buildings, but did you listen? N-o-o-o-o-o-o.

[robc]

See former Reason magazine editor Virginia Postrel way back in 1999

Drink!!!

[robc]

Completely off topic, going to see these guys later tonight: Bawn in the Mash

[underzog]

I saw Virginia Postrel on John Stoessel last night. It seems she survived her breast cancer.

One can only hope.

[Matt Sissel]

I remember when I was young seeing the Bo Jackson supergraphic in L.A. One of my favorite memories from that trip.

[H.F. Wolff]

An acquaintance of mine owns & operates a very successful paralegal agency in a medium sized city in southern Ontario CA.

Being a law-abiding citizen he inquired as to the licensing, tax, and cost implications for a large sign in front of his building to advertise his services.

He found, in short, that the rules & regulations plus tax liabilities were totally outrageous and he decided to forgo a FIXED sign.

He then investigated as to what was legal, with the least hassle and tax implication.

He found that a large moving van, fully licensed and insured, was the lowest cost option.

He procured a big used moving van and had his business advertising logo painted on its sides. And for good measure and increased impact he loans out this truck to friends and associates at little or no cost, for goodwill and free advertising.

6 or 7 years later the truck is still there, probably to the great annoyance of the city's bylaw enforcement "officers" and tax man.

[Peyton Farquhar]

Every level of government in the State is broke so revenue generation becomes ever more creative - plus the public unions have to justify their wage increases in the face of one of the greatest job loss events since the Great Depression so it's a bonus to use the aesthetics police to find "rogue" purveyors of "unauthorized" billboards.

[Colonel_Angus]

Fuck zoning laws.

And fuck your property values.

[apple]

Matt didn't even show up in person? No chance he's going to get hit in the face with a chair. What a gyp.