Over the course of the past few years, we've published a variety of articles focusing on one of the most annoying aspects of political campaigning, lawn sign vandalism, e.g., the defacement or outright theft of political candidates' campaign lawnsigns. In truth, the problem goes considerably beyond mere annoyance. Political signage doesn't come cheap, especially when the labor expense of installation and maintenance is factored into the equation. Not only that, we believe that middle of the night pilferage of political signage strikes at the very heart of our American Democracy. Ask any experienced campaign manager and they'll tell you this: Political lawnsigns are very important factor in any successful political campaign.
It's with this in mind that we direct our readers' attention to a story which appears on the front page of this morning's Standard-Examiner. According to reporter Di Lewis, Ogden City's political sign vandalism problem seems now to have migrated up the canyon, and anti-Powderville political activists in the formerly bucolic Ogden Valley are even now finding themselves plagued by the problems of Big City Politics, as they watch their own political campaign signs vanish seemingly into thin air:
• Powder Mountain protesters can't keep their say-so in sightWe were pleased to learn from this morning's story that the Weber County Sheriff's Department is now on the job, seeking to apprehend the villainous lawn sign vandal (or vandals) responsible for the latest political sign purloinage; and we further found this story passage to be particularly encouraging:
Protesters don't know who stole the signs but gave a list of suspects to the Weber County Sheriff's Office when they reported the incidents, said Darla VanZeben, Powder Mountain resident.The Weber County Sheriff's Office is a top-notch law enforcement agency; so we'll presume for at least the moment that the names of certain local known prior offenders were not inadvertently omitted from Sheriff Brad Slater's referenced suspect list.
We're confident that Weber County's Finest will leave no stone unturned in their ongoing investigation, of course, and that they'll ultimately place these pernicious perpetrators exactly where they belong... in the slam.
Take it away, O Gentle Ones.
21 comments:
First they take away our rights to vote on whether we want a town. Then they take away our rights to elect our own mayor and council. Now they want to take away our rights to free speech!
Does ANYONE besides the company wonder why we are fighting this company town?
If you want to join in our cause, pick up a sign (and refreshments) at Eden Coffee, next to the Valley Market in Eden.
Any one know the whereabouts of Bobby Geiger the other night?
This story gets better and better. Now we have some thugs that can't stand the idea that people have a right to express their opionion. It doesn't matter who did it, the idea that these crimminals are running scared enough to commit felonies to try to suppress the signs and public opinon, speaks volumes about their character and brainpan.
Squirt has it right, this is the best thing that these jerks could do to help our cause against Powder Mountain is to vandalize or steal the signs.
Everyone will connect the Powder Mountain people right away to the theft or vandalizing the of signs.
Snow Viking, glad to have you on board.
I know you will monitor the situation closely, and act appropriately when the time comes.
Be safe, brother.
Squirt
I don't think stealing yard signs is a felony. Low down, chicken shit and stupid yes, but felony - I don't think so.
I think Paul might be on to something - just where was Geiger the younger when these signs were stolen? The MO fits him, but does he have a motive? My guess is that he, and the rest of the Godfrey gang, are very much in favor of what is happening at Powderville.
We thank the sign stealing Bozos, you have given us a needed boost in the public relations game.
We couldn't have thought up a better way to show the public what kind of people are supporting the Powder Mountain incorporation.
Marv, when the Sheriff's office was contacted, the word from them is it was a felony.
marv: You don't need to guess. Godfrey sent Bob Geiger's mother, who works for the city, to a Weber County Commission meeting to publicly express the city's official support for the proposed development.
Still, I see no basis for the speculation that a Geiger could be involved with stealing the signs.
no one really knows yet whether or not the signs were actually stolen, or whether this is just a grab for attention by the folks who hate ogden valley developers. i would wait and hold judgment for now, as these wackos who are against powderville are pretty far left. yep, the loony left. alot who live in the new powderville are totally happy with the change.
And a few loonies are against it.
now some signs are supposedly "stolen".
loon alert.
Thanks, Bobby. We'll take that under advisement.
"...alot who live in the new powderville are totally happy with the change."
Oh yeah? Name One!!!
Yeah, New Park City, we're a pretty far left bunch. So far left that 3 of us were elected as GOP delegates at the last caucuses. So far left that 3 of us are WWII vets. So far left that many of us own small businesses in Weber County. So far left that we volunteer in the community. So far left that we support the concept of property rights, including OUR property rights.
Maybe it's not so much that we're far left loonies as it is that we're not pushovers and we're not willing to be the pawns in the destruction of our home. How about you?
New Park City, I have but one thing to say: ARE YOU SERIOUS????
When you are voting in city election in a few years, and dropping your kids off to play with kids at the new homes, you will see. Its going to happen. Powderville is going to be an upscale bedroom community of SLC. Powderville is very serious.
I'm seeing a similarity between a couple of recent posts here. In Dan Schroeder's excellent post about the Junction and RDA finances, he presents a hypothetical example of Ogden, Riverdale, and Roy getting together and voting to raise the taxes only in the rest of Weber County. That (clearly unfair) proposition has a parallel in the Powderville situation.
In Powderville, it's the non-resident owners of Powderville (whose mostly undeveloped land gets "greenbelt" exemptions, and is taxed at an effective rate of 0.012% of fair marked value) who've gotten together and, if this incorporation is successful, can fund their town's operation by raising the property taxes primarily for the resident homeowners (whose property is taxed at an effective rate of 0.618% of fair market value).
That's right. For every $1000 they need to balance the city budget, for properties of equal market value the developers will pay $19 additional property tax and a homeowner will pay $981. No wonder these homeowners are so enraged.
Counting Crows-Big Yellow Taxi
Thanks Googlegirl... but I've always been partial to Joni Mitchell's original version.
Different strokes for different folks, I guess. But the obvious key and fundamental message should ring true through all generations.
Off topic, but is it legal for powder mountain to generate revenue off camping (like they want to do for there motocross event)? It sure doesn't make sense that they could allow campers when they clearly don't have adequate facilities.
All across the country for decades, homeowners have banded together and petitioned, have sued and balked, to stop development from moving forward in their area, to protect the little green acre, to do what is right by common law.
Occasionally they are successful, until the property goes to the grandkids, of course.
Those out of town tykes sell granddaddies land in a New York minute, from their home in New York.
Unfortunately, its always a matter of time.
Unfortunately, Rockford J. has a point. While I am an unhappy forced resident of the proposed Powderville town limits, I can't help but sense the same immanent feeling of eventual defeat. The valley was beautiful while it lasted, and will, at some point or another, be turned over to greedy pigs who will ravage its resources and turn it into a proverbial skier town. :( But for now, I'm going to give it all I've got to drive these leeches out, and I urge my fellow valley residents to do the same.
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