COUNCIL REFUSES TO SEE THE SIGNS OF URBAN UGLINESS.

Byline: Anita Work Local View

THE Los Angeles City Council has now decided to propose a change in state law that would allow cities to remove existing legal billboards (``Council proposes sign amendment,'' Feb. 20). While at first this may sound like a good thing, where is the money, manpower, etc. to do so coming from?

All across the Valley one sees signs posted on telephone poles and other such things advertising schemes for losing weight, financing a vehicle, working at home, and on and on. Though I have complained about these illegal signs, nothing really seems to be done about them, mostly due to the shortage of manpower and finances.

And while some are taken down, others pop up overnight.

The people posting them must be caught in the act of putting them up for legal action to be instigated; and as I said, they crop up overnight, under cover of darkness.

Who's going to sit up all night watching for them? And although the general populace seems to be ignorant of the fact, these placards are illegal if placed on public property. Public property is not meant to be used for free advertising.

If such a sign was put up in front of my home or business, I would tear it down, as not only is it illegal, it is a blight on the community; when I see such a sign in the parking lot of a business, I request the manager to do so. I wish others would follow suit; maybe those responsible would realize we don't want to live in a neighborhood filled with such eyesores. It's bad enough we have yard sale, lost dog, etc. signs hanging until they rot off and fall into the gutters. I certainly would never complain about such a sign as these, but good grief, can't these morons have enough decency to remove them the day after the sale, or a week or so after their pet disappears? I recently counted more than 40 such signs within a six-block area, most of them outdated by at least several weeks.

Now, if City Council members really want to do something about removal, why not start by changing the law to where those posting these illegal advertisements could be held monetarily responsible whether seen or not?

A stiff fine or two would get the message across that it may be cheaper in the long run to take an ad out in a newspaper rather than muck up our area.

My employer doesn't plaster the area with illegal advertising; what makes these idiots think they have the right to do so?

Come on, City Council members, start with what will affect the whole Los Angeles area first: nevermind the few billboards; start with the illegally posted signs that are an affront to so many of us.