Office of Borough President James P. Molinaro
Staten Island, New York
They’re back! Borough President’s staff removes hundreds of illegal signs and posters
Molinaro urges Islanders not to patronize illegally advertised businesses
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – Borough President James P. Molinaro today urged Staten Islanders not to patronize businesses that illegally post signs on light and utility poles on major thoroughfares all across the Borough.
“After successfully removing virtually all the illegal posters on poles on Staten Island, I have noticed new signs cropping up over the summer,” Molinaro said. “The best way to rid our Borough of these eyesores once and for all is to simply not patronize these businesses.”
Molinaro warned businesses that his office is aggressively monitoring poles and issuing warnings to all violators of Local Law 111, which prohibits the placement of signs on utility poles. While a majority of businesses have complied, Molinaro is stepping up illegal sign removal efforts after noticing new signs posted along Hylan Boulevard, Richmond Terrace, Steuben Street and Clove Road, among other main thoroughfares, since late July.
(Unfortunately, it seems that not a week goes by when I don(t notice a slew of new illegal signs along our commercial strips and residential neighborhoods, and flyers posted illegally on utility poles,( Molinaro continued. (There are days when my staff removes hundreds of these signs, only to see them pop back up again -- and some of the signs are weather-proofed!
Some of the worst offenders are signs for “Siding Windows-Get 3 Estimates-Guaranteed Lowest Price,” “Sales Managers-NOW Interviewing –Top Pay,” and “NYC Mailboxes.com-FEDEX Shipping Ctr-400 Victory Blvd.”
“My office will be sending out notices to the biggest offenders, and we have alerted the Sanitation Police, who will fine them up to $75 for each sign,” said Molinaro.
(However, the best way to stop them is for Staten Islanders not to patronize these businesses,” Molinaro said. “Don’t call the telephone numbers that are on these signs. If you take away the incentive for them to illegally advertise and visually pollute our neighborhoods, they will finally stop.”
October 4, 2007