LETTER: Focus on eco-friendly election signs, not numbers

SooToday received the following letter to the editor from reader Clayton Bond in response to our story, Sandra Hollingsworth has a problem with election signs.

I would like to suggest to the authors of the motion on election signs to become more focused on the environmental issue they are addressing as well as other impacts.

This process should be phased in to give political organizations and candidates time to adjust.

Limiting numbers should absolutely be avoided.

The authors stand to be accused of a conflict of interest as candidates themselves, who have campaign preferences they want to legislate.

Limitation also appears to be an unconstitutional limitation on free speech.

Council should instead consider limiting the signs to re-usable frames and guaranteed bio-degradable or recyclable material for the signs themselves. Numbers would not be an issue.

Council should also check to see if there are jurisdictional election issues.

A final comment: it is great to try to address an environmental issue, but I find it interesting that council may follow the lead of a failed mayoralty candidate who seemed to be the only public figure concerned at the time.

Clayton Bond