Best of Seattle

Seattle Weekly
July 22, 1999

Best City Initiative

Of the many stupid laws which the Seattle City Council has passed, the poster ban has probably pissed off the most diverse group of people: punk rockers, political revolutionaries, and people who have lost their companion animals. Finally somebody has taken ridding us of this horrid legislation into their own hands. Free Speech Seattle, a small group of dedicated souls, has collected around 12,000 signatures to support I-46, or "Repeal the Poster Ban," while you've been sitting on your heinie. Let's face it--phone poles look a lot better with posters on them. We all know free speech only works for those who own printing presses. Everybody else needs a cheap way to get their artistic, political, or personal message out. The city's initiative process is underused. In recent years, a crazy cabbie used the initiative process to get the Monorail taken seriously. If you get something on the ballot, there's no telling what may happen. But Initiative 46 is a long way from on the ballot. Get on it!!! You've got until August 24 to help collect 19,000 valid signatures. Call Free Speech Seattle at 781-7371 (or visit their Web site, http://freespeechseattle.org).