John Levins: Just say no to billboards
When we were considering moving to the Triangle a few years ago, as my wife and I made our approach on I-40, our first thought was of the beauty, the trees buffering buildings from view, and of what we didn’t see – billboards. We discussed it then, and we’ve since remarked countless times about that very thing to friends who live elsewhere, beckoning them to consider an area that holds such values.
So when I read the April 17 news article “New tensions emerge in war over N.C. billboards” regarding billboards and HB 304, which ultimately threatens to derail that all under the guise of a “jobs bill” when in fact it’s little more than a poorly disguised returned favor, I simply had to whip out my digital pen and paper.
I absolutely agree with Molly Diggins of the Sierra Club who said it’s bad for local control, the scenic beauty of our state and taxpayers, but it’s a terrific bill for the billboard industry. And I completely disagree with Rep. Mike Hager who purported that they’re no different from radio, TV or newspapers.
We need to help preserve and protect our beloved Triangle’s scenic beauty by standing up against HB 304.
John Levins
Wake Forest
This story was originally published April 22, 2015 at 5:20 PM with the headline "John Levins: Just say no to billboards."