Has Anyone Experienced Corruption?

[dr_ram]

There is a web designer in my home town who is also the zoning commissioner. He is in bed with a PC repair business.

Now in my hometown many people put cheap plastic signs in their yards to support different businesses or politicians.

The zoning commissioner (web design guy) has gone around and threatened people who have signs for other PC Repair businesses (besides the one he's in bed with) with criminal legal action.

For example if someone has a sign for Joe Schmoe PC Repair he would threaten them with a misdemeanor.

I wondered is this common or is this guy just a crazy asshole?

Typed on my Kindle fire

 

[frederick]

He's a kRaZy kind of guy. Depends on the local laws and HOA if people can put signs on THEIR lawn. I've been wanting to put a sign up in my yard that says "keep off rocks" (i'm in phoenix, az, and I don't want kids doing drugs..crack ain't cool) but my HOA says no. Before I lived in a HOA, we had people put up all kinds of "special" signs for various businesses and politicians...some even died or went out of business years ago

 

[dr_ram]

Yeah there are tons of signs for everything else, just no computer signs allowed. Of course the law bans all signs, but he enforces what is beneficial to him.

 

[rsarceno]

I was thinking of putting a sign on my yard but my wife was against it. What state do you live in. Check this site http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/political-yard-signs
which protect your first amendment

 

[gikstar]

Sounds like something that should be addressed at your City Council meeting.

 

[dr_ram]

I don't know if I will address it or not. There was an article in the newspaper about it but it was really toothless and left the reader to connect the dots on their own.

I for one need to get my business licenses updated before I can raise a stink about anything that could make me government enemies.

 

[gikstar]

How about an anonymous letter to the Editor of the Newspaper?

 

[nesrinamb]

If hes enforcing only when he wants catch him in the act. If you can make it go public and put a smudge on his name then the people supporting him tend to put their backs towards him.

Just know that their is no half way in, if you go after someone in politics everything becomes fair game and its your all the way in or your all the way out.

I used to live in an area where certain political officials tended to prosper greatly from certain ordinances that seemed like no big deal.

Honestly getting someone like that out of office is a public service and I say try to take the crooked politician out.

 

[atlanticjim]

Of course this type of thing happens everywhere there are insignificant small impotent people who are given some type of perceived "power". Be it in business, in school, or on the little league diamond.

Personally, I would make a decision based purely on economics. Is the profit lost by not having a sign in my yard worth the time, expense, frustration and aggravation of going after the abuser commissioner.

Unless of course your hobby or avocation is white-knighting against corruption in government, in which case I say ... go after him.

I don't have the skills or time or inclination to fight someone like that.

 

[SAG]

If this really irks you, then talk to a lawyer, not us.
Simply put, he's using his power as an elected official NOT only to promote his own well being but to hinder the trade of others.

How far are you willing to go?

Bide your time. Collect all the evidence and information you can as a "concerned citizen". Then come election time, give it all to his opponents and let the political machine do the work for you.

Does hometown = smalltown?
Make friends with someone over his head and put a bug in their ear.

There's plenty you can do and still have the appearance of clean hands.

If you want to be the Lone Ranger....
You can always let him bring this "criminal action" for an ordinance violation and get the local media involved.

I don't know how many ordinance violations I've had in the past years... hell, I've had half a dozen related to my old Jeep. none of which were "criminal".

There is a web designer in my home town who is also the zoning commissioner. He is in bed with a PC repair business.

Now in my hometown many people put cheap plastic signs in their yards to support different businesses or politicians.

The zoning commissioner (web design guy) has gone around and threatened people who have signs for other PC Repair businesses (besides the one he's in bed with) with criminal legal action.

For example if someone has a sign for Joe Schmoe PC Repair he would threaten them with a misdemeanor.

I wondered is this common or is this guy just a crazy asshole?

Typed on my Kindle fire

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

This something you really want to make for yourself...or take on? If so...you'd better strap on a big pair of balls and pull up your big boy pants and be prepared for many months or actually much longer...of really dirty fighting.

From your opening paragraph...I don't see what's actually "dirty" here.
So the zoning guy happens to do website design..and he's friends with someone that does PC repair. That's a common partnership...I see that kind of relationship out myself....we refer websites to website people, they refer network business to us.

Perhaps you could make peace with the guy and toss him a website or two...and say "Look...help me out here!". ...have that kind of conversation with him. Sometimes you're better off learning how to "play the game" in a small town.

 

[Paul Rodgers]

Yard signs are considered (in the US) speech and therefore fall under the protection of the 4th amendment.

Just remember a few things:

Do not place signs on public property
Do not place signs without the landowners permission
Do not place signs on telephone poles
Signs on the property between the sidewalk and the street are in a grey area. Usually that property is owned by the municipality. Some areas permit signs in that area some don't.

If you follow these rules then you should be fine. A lot of municipalities are rewriting their laws on yard signs because they limit how long a sign can be in the yard or what signs can be placed in the yard. I suggest you check on the actual laws in your area but legally there isn't much municipalities can do about signs. You can decide whether or not you want to actually push the issue by placing signs or bringing the topic up at board meetings.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

OP...are you talking about "yard signs" such as at your house?
Or are you talking about signage in front of a store/mini mall/professional center/commercial building?

Two totally different things.....and different rules. Commercial...not considered free speech.
Personal property..sure...unless you live in an HOA. In which case you signed that contract when you bought your house and knew what you were getting into. (because you're supposed to actually read that HOA agreement before you sign it).

 

[Cornerstone Technologies]

Sure corruption is a problem, but if this guy is just keeping you from putting up signs and benefiting himself on the small scale, there isn't anything you can do. What you have to hope for is that he is caught either with a dead hooker or a live boy. That's the kind of corruption it takes these days to get someone out of office.

 

[NETWizz]

There is a LOT you can do, but it may cost your more than you will loose by not having the sign in the first place. You DO need a lawfirm to represent you.

1. If you plan to post a sign, read your HOA completely.
2. Take pictures of ALL your neighbors's sings and any threats you got.
3. Write a leter (paper trail) to the zone/codes-enforcement jerk INFORMING him of your competition (Plausible Deniability goes out the Window)

4. Draft up a Cause of Action and file suit in a Court of Common Pleas alleging violations of Equal Protections AND Freedom of Speech.


Sit back and smile. They can A) pay your a ton of money or B) settle with you by 1) letting you compete or 2) stopping your competition.

 

[dr_ram]

If this really irks you, then talk to a lawyer, not us.

I wanted others opinion on whether it's a common thing or not. Seeing from the response a lot of folks are interested in it. So I don't know why you're telling me not to post it.

Did I post it in the wrong category? Does the forum have strict rules about off topic posts?


I'm new here so I don't know whether I should have posted it or not for sure. It seems pretty laid back here so I didn't see any problem with posting it. I just wanted others opinion.

 

[dr_ram]

How far are you willing to go?

Bide your time. Collect all the evidence and information you can as a "concerned citizen". Then come election time, give it all to his opponents and let the political machine do the work for you.

Does hometown = smalltown?
Make friends with someone over his head and put a bug in their ear.

There's plenty you can do and still have the appearance of clean hands.

If you want to be the Lone Ranger....
You can always let him bring this "criminal action" for an ordinance violation and get the local media involved.

I don't know how many ordinance violations I've had in the past years... hell, I've had half a dozen related to my old Jeep. none of which were "criminal".

Good info, thanks

 

[dr_ram]

From your opening paragraph...I don't see what's actually "dirty" here.

What's dirty is that he is threatening other small business owners with criminal legislation to prevent competition for his private business.

I was brought up to believe that competition was good for the market and that the Government encouraged it for that reason.

I guess if you are the guy abusing the power then it's no big deal, but when you are a small business owner just starting out and the government comes and threatens you because they have a private interest in the market then it feels like a bigger deal.

 

[dr_ram]

OP...are you talking about "yard signs" such as at your house?
Or are you talking about signage in front of a store/mini mall/professional center/commercial building?

A competitor of mine had his friends and family put yard signs in front of their homes advertising his computer business. The zoning commissioner threatened said friends and relatives with a criminal misdemeanor charge if they didn't remove the signs from their yards at their homes .

 

[dr_ram]

Sure corruption is a problem, but if this guy is just keeping you from putting up signs and benefiting himself on the small scale, there isn't anything you can do. What you have to hope for is that he is caught either with a dead hooker or a live boy. That's the kind of corruption it takes these days to get someone out of office.

I LOLed