Outlaw campaign signs draw complaints

State law bars political signs within 660 feet of state-owned roads, which include most major streets in Anchorage. But enforcement of the law, state officials say, is unlikely.

Anchorage School Board Seat B candidate Jeannie Mackie and mayoral candidates Eric Croft, Dan Sullivan and Sheila Selkregg are some who seem to have illegally placed signs along major roadways. Mackie is drawing intense criticism from her opponents.

She defended the signs, though. "I have not been notified by the state or the municipality that any of my signs are in violation," she said. "If people decide to enforce it, then I will be more than happy to do whatever they tell me to do."

She's waiting for that notification before taking action, she said.

"We just don't have the manpower," said would-be enforcer Alan Hartig, property management supervisor for the state Department of Transportation and Public Facilities. "Right now we don't do much of anything."

Sullivan, whose signs are prominent on several major city arteries, said he contracted the work out and relies on the contractor to know the rules. "It's not something I'm focused on," he said.

Croft's campaign declined to comment. And Selkregg's campaign said it was looking into the matter.

The rules allow political signs on private property near city-owned roads, with certain size restrictions. But no signs within the length of about two football fields are allowed near state-owned roads.

State-owned roads include the Seward Highway, Minnesota Drive, Dimond Boulevard, Muldoon Road, Tudor Road, DeBarr Road, C Street, Rabbit Creek Road and most of Northern Lights Boulevard.

School Board candidate Steve Pratt said he is following the law and it's not fair that one of his opponents, Mackie, is getting more exposure because she is not. "My biggest concern is everyone is playing by the same rules, otherwise it compromises the integrity of the election process," he said.

Another candidate in the same crowded School Board race, Jennifer Lucas, forwarded an e-mail to local media saying the Mackie signs were illegal and asked for attention to the matter.

Some in the state Legislature think it's time to change the law because it is unreasonable. Sen. Joe Paskvan, D-Fairbanks, sponsored a bill this year that would allow signs on private property along state roads with the property owner's permission. The rules, he said, "should be resolved one way or the other."

It is unlikely legislators will get to the bill this year, he said.

The law gives the candidate and property owner 30 days to remove an illegal sign. But most signs are mounted within 30 days of an election, so the signs stay up during the campaign, Hartig said.

Technically, putting up the illegal signs is a misdemeanor. Fines can range from $50 to $5,000.

"Like any misdemeanor, though, you'd need to convince a D.A. to prosecute, then take it to court," said Rick Feller, a spokesman for the Transportation Department's central region. "There are other items the court might feel are more important."

Another Transportation Department spokesman Roger Wetherell said, "We don't want to be heavy-handed sheriff types and run around ripping signs down. ... The majority of people in the political arena understand that there is an Alaska statute and for the most part it is followed very well."

Mackie and Sullivan said they hired Nenana Creative Arts, an Anchorage sign company, to put up their billboards.

Mackie, like Sullivan, also said she was leaving it to the sign company to comply.

Repeated calls to Nenana Creative Arts owner Joe Law were not returned.

This isn't the first time candidates have hired Law and been accused of not following the rules. In 2005, four candidates running for city Assembly -- Dick Traini, Brian Whittle, Anna Fairclough and Paul Bauer -- faced similar criticism.