New West Network

Billboards are ruining our scenic vistas. I want us to be like one of the states that have don't have billboards like Alaska, Hawaii & Vermont. We should have more Rest Areas with 24 hr Computer Tourist Information Kiosks to help visitors find information. Also, Tourist Informational Signs like they use in Canada work great. Get with it Montana, clean up your act! I have called on SB 411 and asked them to Vote no. Montana will be a more beautiful place if you call also.

I can not believe that this Bill (SB411) actually cleared the Senate. Not only would this Bill allow for more 'commercialization' of our state, it would remove the rights of local communities to decide HOW they want their community look, by removing the ability of the local juridiction to 'amortize' the signs (which is a clause written into the sign laws that requires their removal or compliance by a certain amount of time, such as 5 years)

Alaska and Vermont do not have billboards. I have been to both places. Lots of people go to those places. Proponents of billboards say that it allows them to "find a place to stay" or "find a good restaurant". Me?, I had no problem finding either when I was visiting. In fact, I think billboards are BAD for local business, since I know that I usually ended up parking somewhere 'in town', then walking around and spending a few bucks here and there....

http://data.opi.state.mt.us/bills/2005/billhtml/SB0411.htm will take you to the proposed Bill.
It is currently in the Business and Finance Committee. contact those members and tell them NO MORE BILLBOARDS and kill this bill!!!

Wow, I missed the boat on this bill. I wish I'd been ready to give a verbal horsewhipping to any Senators looking at giving this garbage a "yea" vote. I don't want to see Ruby's (of cafe and motel fame) giant melon looking down on me from any more of these roadside eyesores.

It's not too late Domitrovich...it can be killed in House committee. Call. Pass the number on to your friends.

I'm looking at the members of this committee and I'm wondering if any of the GOP members have made any public statements as to having cold-feet about this bill? They're obviously the people to hit. I'll give a call to the Dems that I know and have worked with in the past, but I doubt that they'll need any arm-twisting.

the way I hear it, the vote has been split 9-9, with two dems from Butte on the fence. It they maintain the 9-9 split, the bill will be considered dead...so the Butte Dems are the ones to hit....

This bill does not belong in Business & Finance...it should be in Transportation, because the enforcing agent is MDOT

Thanks Domitrovich

Add Maine to the list of states with no billboards. I've been there, gorgeous place. They use directional signs instead. A friend of mine said he saw a TV ad touting Maine as a place to visit - it went something like "Visit Maine, beautifuly seacoast, picturesque towns and villages, scenic vistas... and no billboards" The fact they didn't have billboards was a selling point!

Thanks for reminding me about Maine, it's a more beautiful state because of their planning.

SB 411 is a bad bill and is still an issue. Rumor is they will try to " blast" it out to the House floor. Any Montanan's who see this should call or email as many House reps as they can (5 at a time) and ask them to vote no on SB411. It's a winfall for the out of state billboard corporations by allowing for payments for lost future income. Tell them you want the people heard over the out of state lobbyists and say no to billboards.

Thanks to all who contacted their MT. Representative, at the end of the 2005 Session, SB 411 remained deadlocked in committee, 9 democrats against, 9 republicans for. Cities and counties can breath easier. Now if they need to remove a billboard to widen a road or build a civic center, they won't have to use thousands of taxpayer dollars to do it.
Thanks to NewWest for allowing us to get the word out on this bad bill.
Sara Busey

http://www.pruetts.com/blog/2005/05/26/billboard-in-montana/

If we have to live with billboards, at least we can make them interesting...