"New Orleans City Council passes ordinance to crack down on 'bandit signs' in neutral grounds"
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New Orleans City Council passes ordinance to crack down on 'bandit signs' in neutral grounds
Thursday, June 09, 2011 By Bruce Eggler, The Times-Picayune
Getting rid of "bandit signs" -- small advertising signs placed on neutral grounds or other public rights of way -- is one of New Orleans City Councilwoman Stacy Head's favorite causes.
She has long complained that city departments responsible for enforcing the law against such signs have shown little enthusiasm for the task. She said the signs are especially "rampant" in Central City, which is in her district, and in eastern New Orleans.
Head told the council this month that even though she has been asking Mayor Mitch Landrieu's administration for 10 months to do more to get rid of the signs, "we haven't had any great success."
... Mike Sherman, a top Landrieu aide, said city personnel in fact have picked up 9,518 illegal signs since Jan. 1, and he promised "aggressive enforcement" against people and companies who persist in planting such signs. He said two cases are due to be prosecuted soon in Municipal Court, and all violators will receive letters and phone calls telling them what the law says and what the penalties are.
