For over a quarter of a century, the East Bayside Homeowners Association has worked to prevent the annual blight that affects many neighborhoods each summer and fall: illegal political posters, signs or stickers placed on public property and a campaign that has been successful in the Bayside area with our civic organization loudly denouncing the occasional campaign that ignores the law and permits such violations, which has led to candidates losing.
This year, we are being more pro-active with the 19th City Council District race in this community, with six Democrats and one Republican as announced candidates. We have asked each of them to pledge not to allow their supporters to place any such illegal signs, etc., on any public property. Such locations include city trees, telephone poles, light poles, traffic signals, parkland, highway right-of-way, sidewalks, curbs, etc.
But we have no complaint about such advertisements on private property, where the homeowner, business owner or property owner gives permission, as seen in some storefronts.
The EBRA therefore congratulates Steve Behar, Tom Cooke, Jerry Iannece, Dan Halloran, Kevin Kim, Debby Markell and Paul Vallone for agreeing to respect our community in this way in the months to come.
I suggest other community groups in other neighborhoods might want to take a similar approach to candidates who still disrespect those areas with such a misuse of all forms of public property. Of course, should any of the Bayside-area candidates forget their pledge or look the other way when campaign staffers or volunteers do it on their own, we will bring such violations to the attention of Bayside voters.
Frank Skala
President
East Bayside Homeowners Association
Bayside
