Comments on Advance Indiana™: Billboard Industry Has Purchased Indianapolis City-County Council

I visited Hawaii last summer....not one billboard ...

2014-11-21T13:35:52.277-05:00

I visited Hawaii last summer....not one billboard anywhere. Digitized or otherwise. What a nice surprise!

Great comment, Gary! I noticed that issue at the ...

2014-11-19T10:32:50.336-05:00

Great comment, Gary! I noticed that issue at the meeting as well and I've been concerned about that. While I like the no new billboard rule, it creates a monopoly for existing companies. I don't think that's a good idea at all.

Anon 5:36, add her work with the lobbyist led ridi...

2014-11-19T09:55:08.368-05:00

Anon 5:36, add her work with the lobbyist led ridiculous fire alarm ordinance.

Get real. Watered down "conversion" of e...

2014-11-19T09:40:22.887-05:00

Get real. Watered down "conversion" of existing billboards is a ramp to wholesale change.

Concerned residents should consider strobe effects of 24/7 Vegas wash, related health issues & liability.

Jeff, I was looking over the proposed language in ...

2014-11-19T08:24:29.905-05:00

Jeff, I was looking over the proposed language in the zoning requirements for digital signs. It sure looks like the existing billboard owners will have a monopoly on the lucrative digital billboard business. The cap means the existing static billboard owners alone will be able to convert to the digital billboards, which have revenue potential many times higher than the revenues they earn from static billboards.

To yet another anonymous entrant...my only point w...

2014-11-19T07:58:06.900-05:00

To yet another anonymous entrant...my only point was rather than make unfounded accusations at me, do research first. Research is not as much fun as attacking someone anonymously, but it will produce more accurate results. Also, it is my care and concern for the area that resulted in my no vote on this proposal. And yes, I am ultimately disappointed that people would attack me when I am putting so much effort into trying to do the right thing. Oh well, life goes on.

The current ordinance does not allow any new billb...

2014-11-19T07:54:30.586-05:00

The current ordinance does not allow any new billboards. It only allows conversions of existing static billboards and in conjunction another static must be taken down (i.e. two for one conversion). Any conversions must be on static signs 500 ft from a dwelling district. So this ordinance truly is only about existing billboards becoming digital. Even so, I am still a no vote at this point, but I do feel things have come a long way since the start.

ROTFLMAO! Anon 2:56 apparently struck a cord in a ...

2014-11-19T07:43:04.881-05:00

ROTFLMAO! Anon 2:56 apparently struck a cord in a particular responder bringing to mind the Shakespearean phrase "methinks [the responder] doth protest too much!". And this "disappointed" responder - who conflates the issue with "transparency and thoughtful consideration and 'caring' about constituency and on and on and on" with a litany of excuses- actually ends up supporting Anon's point.

Is part of the goal of this effort to allow these ...

2014-11-18T23:52:00.953-05:00

Is part of the goal of this effort to allow these companies to sidestep angry residents every time the companies want to put a new billboard up? I've got similar concerns about the recent push led by developers, officials and local media to revamp our zoning laws.

I don't want any more billboards in my neighborhood. And I sure as hell don't want my neighborhood lit up like Times Square!

I am disappointed that anonymous doesn't want ...

2014-11-18T21:36:30.028-05:00

I am disappointed that anonymous doesn't want his/her name posted with their comment. Whether you agree with my positions, you can't claim I don't think them out. And to make an accusation that I am a "crony pay to play insider" without any evidence of what you mean is even more disappointing. You can look over my campaign reports and ethic reports and you won't see pay to play. I am not in this for money or power. I am in this because I truly care about the residents in my district and will fight for what is best for them. I openly share my views with my 700+ email list BEFORE I cast my votes so that if people have objections, they can approach me about them. I am unsure what else I can do to be more transparent. It seems you should be more transparent yourself and be clear about what you object to, rather than just cast stones. I am trying my best and as God is my witness, I truly put all my effort into making the right and best decisions that I am able

Summary of Mary Moriarty-Adams accomplishments: 1...

2014-11-18T17:36:11.165-05:00

Summary of Mary Moriarty-Adams accomplishments:
1) Helped Eric Turner get a taxpayer-subsidized nursing home in her district.
2) Helped a campaign contributor make a bunch of money off his white elephant Eastgate Mall property, which is a worse eyesore than the day he took ownership of it.
3) Helped the billboard industry light up the city with digital billboards.

Three strikes and your out? Probably not. Her constituents are too dumb to know better.

I've seen Mr. Miller straddle a fence so exper...

2014-11-18T14:56:16.598-05:00

I've seen Mr. Miller straddle a fence so expertly in the past that I have every good reason for a jaundiced eye toward his self-serving comment posting.

Just another crony pay to play insider IMHO who has rarely found a Ballard deal he did not like.

Carlos, I guess I was indoctrinated with the viewp...

2014-11-18T13:18:44.130-05:00

Carlos, I guess I was indoctrinated with the viewpoint that billboards are a blight on the landscape when I was growing up. The digital billboards only compound that blight. Talk to people up in Chicago who have to look at these tacky bright lights 24 x 7 in their neighborhoods. They're real big up in Chicago because individual alderman up there basically control zoning within their wards under their archaic, feudal system.

Thanks, Jeff, for sharing. Hats off to you for trying to keep MCANA and HUNI informed. I'm not convinced there is going to be fewer signs in the long-run, and I also believe the digital signs aren't a real improvement over traditional billboards. I think it's a slippery slope. Once the City of Chicago saw how much money could be made from digital signs, the Mayor started signing leases for them all over the City on city-owned property to provide extra revenues.

Excellent blog post and excellent comments. I was...

2014-11-18T13:07:15.312-05:00

Excellent blog post and excellent comments. I was the reason that MCANA and HUNI was aware of this ordinance as I have informed them during every step of the way. I required the billboard companies to present to those groups before I would even consider a yes vote. I have also consistently emailed every major media outlet as well as 700+ in my district about the upcoming legislation. I strongly feel everyone needs to be made aware of what is before the council. All of my conversations with the lobbyists have been shared with MCANA and HUNI and my issues with the ordinance have been very public. Last night the companies made almost every concession that I requested and applied alot of feedback from the neighborhood groups. But we still have a few points that need to be addressed before I can support it. Feel free to reach out if desired and I'd be happy to discuss it further. Sincerely, Jeff Miller miller4council@gmail.com

A practical question, Gary: What's the philos...

2014-11-18T12:19:15.857-05:00

A practical question, Gary: What's the philosophical objection to digital billboards? If the billboard doesn't injure me, my property, or my wallet, I'm not sure that local govt should have a say.

Where is the local media coverage on this? Why is ...

2014-11-18T10:39:21.376-05:00

Where is the local media coverage on this? Why is that I would not even know about this issue if it wasn't for the blogs and social media?

Although I could not attend the Committee hearing,...

2014-11-18T10:14:43.680-05:00

Although I could not attend the Committee hearing, I believe this latest end run by the billboard industry is being sold to the Councillors as an "economic wunderkind" for Indianapolis. Maybe our new mantra needs to be "Hell no, we won't glow!"

What really bothered me was how the council member...

2014-11-18T10:09:26.166-05:00

What really bothered me was how the council members were openly discussing at this hearing the ongoing talks they've been having with the billboard lobbyists for a long period of time. None of this took place out in the open. If a change in the law was needed to prompt this extraordinary action by the council, why didn't they set up a task force and conduct those discussions in the open where all voices could be heard? They try to make it sound like their private discussions were public discussions when there had been no notice of hearings or opportunity for input before they dropped this bomb on the public and rammed it through committee after providing little advance warning. You are right. They should be ashamed of themselves.