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Political candidates may glory at the sight of their own name repeated endlessly in signs on buildings and fences, but the Outdoor Circle considers it pollution for the eyes. Outdoor Circle
challenges candidates
not to post signsThe organization has issued its semiannual Political Signs Challenge to all contenders, asking that they pledge to keep the environment free of the clutter of signs.
The Outdoor Circle succeeded in 1927 in getting a legislative ban on billboards.
City and county ordinances limit businesses and manufacturers to minimal commercial advertising to protect Hawaii's famous scenery.
But in 1990 the U.S. District Court struck down a Honolulu ordinance forbidding outdoor political signs.
The ruling said the ban was a violation of First Amendment freedom of speech.
Long before that, roadside sign-waving had been invented to circumvent the ban on stationary signs.
This is the fourth election year that the Outdoor Circle has appealed to candidates, and each year, more campaigners join the effort against the "visual blight," according to a release.
Thirty-five candidates in the 1998 election, including 12 who won, accepted the challenge to refrain from posting political signs.
Although candidates' banners are allowed on private property, they are prohibited on public property.
Federal law prohibits political signs along freeways.
GOP rep’s tax-funded
newsletter criticized
as ‘improper’Star-Bulletin staff
Democratic Gov. Ben Cayetano's communications director -- who is editor of the official state publication 'Imi Loa, which has come under fire from Republicans -- is now criticizing Republican Rep. Barbara Marumoto for using tax dollars to pay for campaign purposes.
"Using state resources to publish material that is largely campaign-oriented is improper," Communications Director Jackie Kido said. "If she is going to promote campaign activities -- like pictures of she and others in Marumoto campaign T-shirts handing out bananas and fruitcakes -- she needs to do it on her own nickel."
Marumoto's staff said that the newsletter, which cost about $2,800 to produce and was sent to her constituents, was approved by the House chief clerk.
"She sends stuff out to her constituents because she's a good legislator and not because she's trying to do a (public relations) job like 'Imi Loa," Marumoto aide Bryna Akana said.
Akana said the newsletter is not campaign literature, noting Marumoto is unopposed for re-election in her Waialae Iki-Kahala district.
The criticism about Marumoto's newsletter comes after House Republicans filed formal complaints, asking the state Ethics Commission, Campaign Spending Commission and the Media Council to investigate the publication's feature of certain Democratic lawmakers and ignoring Republicans.
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