Oh Thank God! Staten Island Councilman Introduces Bill Fighting Big For-Sale Signs
The subprime mortgage crisis continues to send shockwaves through New York City and now the consequences have spread beyond the economy. The rising tide of foreclosures is making the city uglier (gasp!). Councilman Michael McMahon believes “the proliferation of extra-large for sale signs is having a negative aesthetic impact on residential neighborhoods in New York City.”
On Thursday, the Staten Island Democrat is introducing a bill that would limit the size of for-sale signs to four square feet and impose a fine of up to $500 on violators.
“While traveling in my district, I have noticed what seems to be an explosion in the size of real estate signs on front lawns to a degree that is practically obnoxious. Real estate companies have the right to advertise, but let’s keep it tasteful, so that it doesn’t detract from neighborhoods,” Mr. McMahon said in a press release.
If the law is not approved, Mr. McMahon will no doubt be seeing a lot more eyesores in Staten Island. Propertyshark.com listed about 90 upcoming foreclosure auctions in Staten Island between Feb. 27 and March 24. Manhattan had only 16 auctions listed for the same period. The number of Staten Island foreclosures increased 184 percent from December through January 2007, the biggest rise in New York City.
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As a resident on Staten Island I too am very annoyed at the grotesque and oversized signs all over the place. The worse and most offensive of all, with its bright yellow streaks you can’t miss, is the sign on McMahon’s back saying, “Out to lunch!” And now he wants to run for congress? Of course he didn’t dare consider it while Vito Fossella was still a contender, but only now. He was asked to run before but Chicken Little was afraid to risk it. He let Steve Harrison run in his place. Why, you might ask. Beats me! McMahon’s and Fossella’s crappy records are too close to being similar. Both voted to favor immediate invasion of Iraq without weapons inspectors finishing their report, without any attempt at diplomacy or getting other nations on board first. Some 4,000 killed and 32,000 maimed later and he still doesn’t get it either. Not morbid enough, McMahon also voted against a moratorium on the death penalty until at least the unconstitutionality of the existing law could be rectified. Now that’s what we need more of in Washington DC, another war hawk killer too impatient to spill more blood. I can’t tell the difference between McMahon and Fossella or Fossella and Bush or Bush and McCain or McMahon and McCain. Stop! I’m getting dizzy! I’ve been a Democrat all my life and I suppose I will be till the day I die, but this next election I will be voting Democratic across the board except for the Congressional candidate for the 13th District where I will be voting for the Independent, Steve Harrison.