Office of Borough President James P. Molinaro
Staten Island, New York
B.P. Molinaro Blasts Placement of Political Signs
Demands Removal of Signs from Public Property
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – Borough President James P. Molinaro today expressed outrage over the recent batch of political campaign signs illegally placed at locations on the North Shore.
Candidates for the 23rd State Senate District, which consists of the North Shore of Staten Island and part of Brooklyn have plastered campaign signs on street lights, telephone poles and bus stops throughout the North Shore, especially along Clove Road, Victory Boulevard, and Forest Avenue. The most flagrant offenders are the campaigns of Cole Ettman and Diane Savino.
“The New York City Administrative Code clearly prohibits the placement of political signs on public property,” Molinaro said. “I have been in contact with the Department of Sanitation, and have been assured that the illegally placed signs will be removed as soon as possible. I also urge Sanitation officials to ticket both campaigns, and send a message that illegal behavior will not be tolerated on Staten Island.”
Molinaro has worked to stop the placement of illegal signs, both political and non-political, since taking office in 2002. Over the past two years, the Borough President’s “Clean Team” has successfully removed hundreds of signs and flyers from residential and commercial neighborhoods throughout our Borough. Earlier this election season, Molinaro was critical of South Shore Assemblyman Bob Straniere’s placement of campaign signs on State-owned land along the West Shore Expressway and the Korean War Veterans Parkway, and along strips of Hylan Boulevard. The offending signs were removed after Molinaro brought the situation to light.
“These candidates should know that defacing public property is against the law. How can we send a representative to Albany who is guilty of violating the law?” Molinaro asked. “These candidates are campaigning in both Brooklyn and Staten Island. I don’t know what they get away with in Brooklyn, but on Staten Island, we respect the law and demand that they do the same.”
September 14, 2004