Here's a profile in courage. The Seattle City Council is letting someone else try to solve the poster problem. The council has agreed to form a citizen task force on the possible creation of neighborhood kiosks for people to alert each other to yard sales, lost cats and performances by garage bands.
No one knows how many would be built, what they would look like, or cost - that's the job of the task force. Credit Queen Anne businessman Patrick Kylen for pushing the idea that government promised when it passed the poster ban.
In 1994, the council prohibited messages left on utility poles. If a kid advertises a lemonade sale on a telephone poll, that's a $250 fine and the beginning of a life of crime. Unfair? Tell it to the judge, kid.
The council has not committed to spending money on the kiosks, which may prove to be expensive. Kylen wants to explore partnerships with businesses to share costs, a promising suggestion.
The kiosk idea may work, so it's worth exploring. Still, the cheapest and smartest step would be lifting the ban.
Copyright 1998 The Seattle Times Company