Dear Editor,
These two signs here were recovered last Friday from the Lafayette public works yard, one homemade by a resident, and the other made by Save Lafayette. Both were given to me on Friday after the recovery, and I have them both at my house. Both of these were put up at Springhill and PH Road on Wednesday evening. Both were removed by city staff on Thursday, along with possibly other signs at this location (we don’t know how many others, if any). 4 signs remained at this location after staff removed these. Neither of these No signs were in obvious violation of any city signage rules, as the homemade sign was to the right of the bulk of the signs, and the official sign to the left, possibly too close to another sign. Both were recovered on Friday by another citizen from the public works yard.
I know that staff was instructed on Friday to not continue removing specifically the No on C signs, or at least not to specifically target any one sign over any other. I also know that on last Wednesday, at least one of the official No on C signs was in an inappropriate location in the median on PH Road near Acalanes High School. It’s clear that this one should have been removed.
What is really troubling to me is the removal of the homemade sign. It was not in any clear violation of any ‘reasonable’ city signage rules, as it was put in a ‘reasonable’ location at this site. It is clearly homemade, but wasn’t any larger or smaller than the other signs. I have been trying very hard to think of any reason that a staffer could have used to justify removal.
The citizen who made the sign did reach out to me, and doesn’t feel justified in putting it back up. That is just awful, and should not be how our citizens feel about expressing their opinions in our city.
Please, some acknowledgement by staff for the reasons why this one particular sign was removed should be made public. Justifications should be given, or apologies expressed.
Susan Candell/Lafayette
Politics. Yay.
Whatever happened to Moraga’s midnight sign guy?
Ha! Yes, Mike, we were wondering if we were going to see any midnight sign plantings again this year but we suspect the sign guy moved out of the area…
Litter. Every single one of them.
I’d love to see some stats on if these signs make a bit of difference in the outcome.
Howdy. There’s actually data out there measuring their efficacy but as we’ve been suggesting lately that everyone – both candidates and constituents – might be better served placing “digital lawn signs” with us our stance could be construed as self-serving!
Unsightly and about as effective as a car alarm.
Some of them pretty clearly need to be taken down as they’re blocking drivers vision. I’m surprised some people still feel the need for them as the best way to communicate a message but they’re simple and easy to put up so I guess they’re going to be around for a while. Putting one on your lawn lets the neighbors know where you stand I guess.
Is there any language against hand lettered or home made signs? It’s a pretty clear first amendment issue and unless it bears any hate speak or is a barrier to safe operation of a car it should be left alone like the dozens of others like it out there.
And the sign said, “Everybody welcome. Come in, kneel down and pray”
But when they passed around the plate at the end of it all
I didn’t have a penny to pay
So I got me a pen and a paper and I made up my own little sign
I said, “Thank you, Lord, for thinkin’ ’bout me. I’m alive and doin’ fine”
Wooo!
Sign, sign, everywhere a sign
Blockin’ out the scenery, breakin’ my mind
Do this, don’t do that, can’t you read the sign?
Hey now, goin’ all musical on us now… we’re digging it! Groovy man… and, peace!
I don’t really see them or their message any more but as long as someone comes and picks them up after the election I guess I can live with them for a little while.
My yard sign:
Dear neighbors: I want to do good, but evil is offering yuge reward points. Lower taxes…just for voting.
P.s. the midnight sign quy was swept up in a tsunami of guilt. People tell me he now lives in a basement apartment with his motha in Queens.
It will all be over soon, right?
I just close my eyes these days and tell myself it’ll all be over soon. Can’t wait for November 9. Just hope we don’t wake up and discover we’ve made a lot of really bad choices.