Mr. Wilson has filed a complaint, that the City may or may not respond to with a warrant/ticket or legal action. That legal action will have to be responded to by not only Walt Stanckiewitz but also the 8 to 12 nasty citizens with Stanckiewitz posters on their private property. It is unclear if Mr. Wilson also charge Meg Whitman's Campaign for the same Code Violation or not.
What is clear if the issue is taken to the courts it is due to his action not the actions of Stankiewitz, the Citizens who posted signs or even Meg Whitman. The case will be because of Mr. Wilson's need to get some attention for his own campaign. Is Mr. Wilson going to tell the child care centers / home businesses to get rid of their signs? That is against the code, but it has also been reversed by case law.
He said, the council did not change the code so "That makes it the law", Wilson said. "It takes a judge to decide (otherwise),"
Mr. Wilson there are such laws and codes on the books that are not enforced in spite of them never having been tried in the courts. These laws are called Antiquated. When our own City Attorney points out all the court case law demonstrating that the code is unenforceable most thinking people would put that unchanged code in the category of "Antiquated", and not bothered an already stressed City Management with a petty complaint such as yours.
In addition if you fail to charge Meg Whitman with the same violation you clearly demonstrate that when you do enforce laws you will use the law and codes to your convince and in a punitive petty way against citizens.
So folks... Here you have it. Stanckiewitz who has been trying to protect your rights to political speech, property, and an accountable government, or Wilson, who wants to repress political speech using an antiquated code, enforced upon only one of the two or more violating candidates, and the citizen supporters of only those who oppose his candidacy. Interesting tactic Mr. Wilson.
We should not be surprised that Mr. Wilson didn't think through all the aspects of his filing a complaint only against Mr. Stanckiewitz and the Citizens with Stanckiewitz Signs. After all Mr. Wilson failed to think through major projects he approved while on the Planning Commission. With his "Professional Experience" in the area of Development and Engineering, he should have been a better plan evaluator than he has proven to be. He allowed the Outdoor Adventure Center, Manhole Cover, and faulty Senior Housing and Center plans go right through the Planning Commission... on the advise of Staff.
The Planning Commission was or is supposed to check the work of staff and the developer and be more knowledgeable than the council members on such matters and the council members should have been able to trust the staff, planning commission, and the city attorney. Clearly Mr. Wilson is amongst those people who let Grand Terrace and the Citizens down. His most recent action demonstrates once again he does not have the Citizens Rights or concerns as his primary motivator.
Mr. Wilson demonstrates the need for Grand Terrace to review all its codes and perhaps reset all back to a minimalist approach say nothing more than County or State Regulations and Laws. Additional local codes are just added reasons for businesses to stay away from Grand Terrace. Additional codes are additional infringements on people's rights. Additional codes are enforced selectively and abused by people who have "Power" in GT. Mr. Wilson has show how he will use that power. Are the Voters of GT going to give it to him? Hope Not.
Wilson also said Stanckiewitz's actions violate his signed pledge to "follow the basic principles of decency, honesty and fair play."
Does he sound a little like Boo Hoo Cortes here? The suggestion that Stanckiewitz is some how indecent, lacks honesty or is playing unfair.... because some of his citizen supporters posted yard signs on their own property... Get a tissue wipe your nose Mr. Wilson. This does not indicate a man who will have good public relations, or be able to deal with the "Stress" of being Mayor. Thanks for showing the public your true nature prior to the election.
Grand Terrace candidate says opponent's signs violate law
Doug Wilson, who also is running for mayor, filed a complaint Thursday with the city alleging that the signs violate a city ordinance requiring a permit for political signs and prohibiting them more than 30 days before an election.
"He has no permit for the signs and yet posted them anyway," Wilson said. "As far as I'm concerned, the law is the law unless it's changed, which means that he's a criminal, along with the folks who posted them for him."
About a dozen homes have signs reading "Vote for Walt Stanckiewitz, Mayor of Grand Terrace on Nov. 2, 2010."
Stanckiewitz said he he did not post the signs, but he did give them out to supporters.
"I explained the ordinance to them and also explained the fact that political speech is protected," he said.
Stanckiewitz, a member of the City Council, moved to change the ordinance in June, calling it an unconstitutional restriction of free speech.
He also checked with City Attorney John Harper, who backed up that belief.
"As a practical matter, I've indicated that at least as to prohibiting signs on private property, the ordinance is not enforceable," Harper said Friday.
No council member seconded Stanckiewitz's move to amend the ordinance in June.
That makes it the law, Wilson said.
"It takes a judge to decide (otherwise),"said Wilson, chairman of the Planning Commission. "For right now, I think it's a good law because it's been 31 years, and everybody has played by the rules, and we have a very clean city."
Wilson also said Stanckiewitz's actions violate his signed pledge to "follow the basic principles of decency, honesty and fair play."
Stanckiewitz denied that charge.
The other candidates, DeDe Sternberg and Sally McGuire, could not be reached for comment.
