Wow. We all know that politicians often repay their contributors with special favors — and that those favors are often not in the general public’s best interests. But for sheer, brazen corporate butt-kissing at the expense of the public interest, it’s gonna be awfully hard to beat the “Selective Vegetation Removal” bill, now in committee in the General Assembly. The bill would let outdoor billboard companies replace regular, existing billboards with electronic ones on interstates and federally managed roads such as U.S. 74 and N.C. 49 in Charlotte. While they’re busy putting up the new billboards, owners could also clear any trees within 400 feet of the billboard, up from the current 250 feet limit. As Jim Morrill explains in the Observer, the bill would also overrule local billboard regulations, including Charlotte’s tree ordinance and Durham’s billboard ban. So much for that “local control” and decentralization the GOPers keep talking about. On top of all that — and this is the truly mind-blowing part — the bill would allow up to seven electronic billboards per mile.
Imagine what that would be like: An electronic billboard every 800 feet — and with the new 400-foot clearance, trees would essentially be clear-cut all the way down the highway, leaving nothing but flashing distractions, as far as the eye could see. (No wonder Sen. Brown says his bill would be good for tourism; people would probably drive from out of state just to see all the flashing lights.) I’m sorry, but this bill is so ludicrous, such an obvious sop to an industry whose excessive influence in Raleigh is matched by its contempt for the public, and so aesthetically barbaric, it takes your breath away. As one commenter on the Observer site wrote, “With seven billboards per mile, why not show pay-per-view movies?”
The bill was introduced by GOP state senator Harry Brown of Onslow County, and co-sponsored by, among others, Sen. Bob Rucho of Matthews, who is rapidly turning into the most aggressively pro-business-at-the-expense-of-everything-else lawmaker we’ve seen in years.
There’s a real chance of stopping this insane bill, as it’s opposed by the Association of County Commissioners, the N.C. League of Municipalities, the Metro Mayors Coalition and the N.C. Planning Association. Please let your state senators know how you feel about the bill. And while you’re doing that, think of suggesting to Charlotte leaders that the city join more than a dozen other U.S. cities and ban the overly distracting electronic billboards altogether.
This article appears in Mar 22-28, 2011.
I can see how this is a much better use of tax payer dollars than providing nutritious meals to children in our schools… or hiring teachers.
Local communities deserve the right to decide for themselves. Citizens should be allowed to have some control over local ordinances, not some out-of-state billboard company.
This is not a partisan issue. Friends from across the political spectrum think it’s a terrible idea to have big TVs in the sky flashing 10,000 ads/day near our homes, schools, parks and places of worship.
The billboard industry insists their study (which they funded) says bright, blinking billboards don’t distract drivers; don’t draw your eyes off the road. And yet, the industry publication, Advertising Age, boasts: “Outdoor is not an on-demand medium. You can’t choose to see it, you have to see it.”
Industry will counter with talk about jobs and badly needed tax revenues. This is nothing but spin. Contrary to industry assertions, tax revenues from billboards are minuscule. And after all their talk about jobs, hiring a computer guy to change digital ads from afar doesn’t generate jobs. In fact, road crews who now change billboard signs would likely lose their jobs.
Once installed, electronic billboards would be very expensive for local governments to remove. Local taxpayers would have to pay the industry “just compensation” — which would include the value of the property plus the exponentially increased revenues they generate for their owners. Compensation for removal would amount to millions of taxpayer dollars while the billboards contribute little to your tax base.
Tax dollars are needed to support schools, sheriff and other vital services — before risking scarce local resources for an out-of-state billboard company.
While industry will talk about public service ads for nonprofits, you hardly see any in areas with digital billboards.
Industry will talk about Silver and Amber alerts. But, police departments elsewhere are trying to opt out of these billboard alerts.
The state already has its own series of official message signs for Amber Alerts. They’re designed to provide the information for motorists to react with the least possible distraction from their driving task, because they are designed in accordance with safe highway practices as mandated by the U.S. Department of Transportation. In contrast, the Amber Alerts on billboards have no official sanction, and often display useless and unnecessary information. As a result, according to Scenic Michigan, rather than communicating an important message in a non-distracting way, they require the motorist to take his/her eyes off the road for extended periods to read the material on the billboard.
Nonprofits and local businesses that have digital billboard ads tend to reduce budgets for advertising in local newspapers and other media outlets. This will take additional monies out of the local economy and reduce support for area businesses. Billboards for national companies won’t contribute much to the state’s economy.
To our neighbors across the state, industry is trying to quickly move its measure to stick electronic billboards, seven per mile, 50 feet in the sky over your communities.
Industry wants to dramatically increase the number of trees they can cut down so we don’t miss their blinking signs while driving. North Carolina’s trees contribute to the state’s economy. Not only do they clean our air and water, they serve as the backdrop for NC’s $17 billion tourism sector.
Once the billboard industry opens the door, and gets all their digital billboards up, the door can’t be closed. We don’t need big, bright billboards blinking thousands of ads a day for things our children don’t need to see.
More info (Scenic America): http://www.scenic.org/billboards