White Oak: Political sign law may be changed
By JEFF STITT
jstitt@yourmvi.com
White Oak council is proposing a new ordinance related to displaying and placing election and political campaign signs.
The move comes after the borough received a letter in September from Witold Walczak, ACLU of Pennsylvania legal director, explaining that an ordinance passed in 2000 “facially” violates the First Amendment “because it imposes unreasonable and content-based restrictions on political expression on private property.”
The 2000 ordinance required anyone wanting to place a political sign in the borough —even on private property — to pay a $75 deposit.
It also prohibits placement of political signs on public property or space and prohibits placement of signs more than 30 days prior to Election Day.
Walczak in September told the Tribune Review that his organization sends about a half-dozen similar letters to municipalities across the state every election cycle — although the number has decreased since a 2015 U.S. Supreme Court case.
The legal director asked the borough to immediately suspend enforcement of the ordinance on private property and suspend the fee associated with the signs.
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