Carefree Truth
Issue #658, June 18, 2018
I had a Carefree Truth issue reporting on the approval of the final budget for Fiscal Year 2018/19 written and ready to go out today, but I have received such a volume of letters commenting on Mike Farrar's political campaign signs around town that I am devoting this issue to some of those letters. These 3 are prime examples of what I have been getting. All the letters have been along the same vein, and frankly, these are 3 of the most polite ones. The 3rd letter asks for any insight I might be able to supply, which I will share after the letters.
I have been asked not to include the names of these letter writers, as they are concerned about the potential for personal retribution, a request I feel obligated to honor.
As a Carefree resident and voter, I am appalled by the array of campaign posters around town featuring the name and face of Michael Farrar. Adding insult to injury, the "We love Mayor Mike" campaign signs imply that he is the current mayor, a decidedly shady practice considering we have a mayor who has moved Carefree forward in very positive ways, including the closure of the old and smelly sewer plant in the Boulders, and who has begun the process of moving Carefree residents now on Cave Creek Water over to Carefree Water.
It is a well known fact that Carefree residents do not like a proliferation of temporary signs. It is also well known that Michael Farrar has made the challenge to illegal term limits a major, if not THE major, platform of his campaign, constantly citing "the will of the people". Yet he chooses to disrespect the will of the people with his odious posters everywhere one looks. What a hypocrite.
Lyn, everywhere I look, there are campaign posters for mayoral candidate Michael Farrar. They are plastered on the windows of several businesses in the downtown core and all around the building that houses the Carefree Post Office.
The issue of sign pollution has surfaced many times in the past when it came to real estate signs, as well as the clusters of sandwich board signs for businesses placed along Tom Darlington Dr. at the entrances to the Bashas' center and the Mariachi Plaza, and outside of Spanish Village. They were considered such a visual insult and so many complaints were lodged with the Town, that it came to the Planning & Zoning Commission and to the Town Council on multiple occasions.
Michael Farrar has been on the Town Council since 2011, so he must be aware of this strong abhorrence by the citizens of Carefree. He chooses to ignore it. The businesses displaying his posters must also be aware of it because of the issues with the business sandwich board signs. Carefree residents have historically been opposed to and offended by an overabundance of any sort of temporary promotional signs.
It would seem that this candidate and the businesses that have allowed these signs to be posted on their windows and doors do not care that the residents of Carefree have long and vigorously opposed this type of sign pollution. I, and many others I know, are very put off by this intrusion. We will vote against Michael Farrar and will refrain from shopping at businesses that support the obnoxious display these of political posters their windows.
Lyn,
From the political posters I am seeing around downtown Carefree, it looks like we are going to have to endure the kind of political sign pollution that most Carefree residents, including myself, do not appreciate. I have only seen signs for Michael Farrar. I am curious as to why I have not seen any posters from Mayor Les Peterson or any of the other candidates running for the Town Council. Do you have any insight into this situation?
Arizona Revised Statute 16-1019 addresses defacing political signs, and specifies the time limits for placing and removing those signs. The Statue limits the posting of political signs to within 60 days of primary elections, and requires their removal within 15 days after primary elections unless the candidate proceeds to the general election, in which case the signs may be left up but must be removed within 15 days after the general election. Violation is a class 2 misdemeanor. This has been confirmed by the Carefree Town Attorney and by the League of Cities and Towns.
The first day political signs may be legally posted for the upcoming Carefree Council and Mayoral primary election is June 29th. The other candidates are respecting and following the Rule of Law, as the incumbents are sworn to do. Mayor Peterson and the other candidates are excited to run, but will not post signs or begin handing out campaign literature until this date.
Although Mayor Peterson's personal preference is to have no signs, once we are within this legal 60 day period, Mayor Peterson and the others may need to post some signs as well, given the campaign tactics being forced on the candidates by Mike Farrar. But out of respect for our citizens, those signs will not reach anywhere near the proliferation of Mike Farrar's currently illegal signs. The businesses that are allowing these signs to be posted on the windows of their stores at this time are also in violation of this Statute.
Lyn Hitchon
Prepared by Carefree Truth
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