• Publications
    • Essay
    • Case Study
    • Policy Study
    • Report
    • Testimony
    • Other
    • Newsletter
  • Blog
    • Daily Blog
    • Podcasts and Radio
    • Video
    • Infographics
    • Commentary / Op-Eds
    • Events
  • Events
  • Donate
  • About
    • Our Team
    • Show-Me Institute Board of Directors
    • Fellows and Scholars
    • Our Authors
    • Jobs
  • Contact
  • Explore Topics
    • Education
      • Accountability
      • Education Finance
      • Performance
      • School Choice
    • Health Care
      • Free-Market Reform
      • Medicaid
    • Corporate Welfare
      • Special Taxing Districts
      • Subsidies
      • Tax Credits
    • Labor
      • Government Unions
      • Public Pensions
    • State and Local Government
      • Budget and Spending
      • Courts
      • Criminal Justice
      • Municipal Policy
      • Property Rights
      • Transparency
      • Transportation
    • Economy
      • Business Climate
      • Energy
      • Minimum Wage
      • Privatization
      • Regulation
      • Taxes
      • Welfare
      • Workforce
Show Me InstituteShow Me Institute
Show Me InstituteShow Me Institute
Support the Show-Me Institute
  • Publications
    • Essay
    • Case Study
    • Policy Study
    • Report
    • Testimony
    • Other
    • Newsletter
  • Blog
    • Daily Blog
    • Podcasts and Radio
    • Video
    • Infographics
    • Commentary / Op-Eds
    • Events
  • Events
  • Donate
  • About
    • Our Team
    • Show-Me Institute Board of Directors
    • Fellows and Scholars
    • Our Authors
    • Jobs
  • Contact
  • Explore Topics
    • Education
      • Accountability
      • Education Finance
      • Performance
      • School Choice
    • Health Care
      • Free-Market Reform
      • Medicaid
    • Corporate Welfare
      • Special Taxing Districts
      • Subsidies
      • Tax Credits
    • Labor
      • Government Unions
      • Public Pensions
    • State and Local Government
      • Budget and Spending
      • Courts
      • Criminal Justice
      • Municipal Policy
      • Property Rights
      • Transparency
      • Transportation
    • Economy
      • Business Climate
      • Energy
      • Minimum Wage
      • Privatization
      • Regulation
      • Taxes
      • Welfare
      • Workforce
State and Local Government / Property Rights

Why Don’t They Just Designate the Building as Blighted? It’d Save Some Time

By Justin Hauke on Dec 3, 2007

This has been a hot topic around the office, but as I was skimming through our recent posts, I realized that we have yet to mention it here.

Jim Roos, a veteran activist against eminent domain abuse in Missouri (and a notable contributor to our recent eminent domain study), has painted a two-story mural on the side of a brick apartment building near Soulard, owned by his housing ministry, which advocates an end to state eminent domain abuse. The mural is visible to drivers heading north toward downtown on I-55.

The city of St. Louis has cited Roos for displaying a sign that officials say violates city zoning ordinances. This has prompted a federal lawsuit challenging the ordinance on free speech grounds. In the Post-Dispatch‘s coverage of the issue, Roos has a really great quip:

“I think if it said, ‘Go Cardinals,’ we wouldn’t have any problems."

How sadly true.

The city of St. Louis routinely approves exemptions for large signs, but argues that its opposition to Roos’ particular sign is in the interest of “clutter” and neighborhood complaints — not political message. One city official commented:

"Can you imagine what our city would look like if everyone were allowed to paint a 363-square-foot, two-story sign on their buildings?"

I’m not sure, but I can guess that it would probably look something like all the buildings downtown with two-story “Go Cardinals” signs displayed on them.

But apparently that’s not “clutter.”

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Email
  • Print
About the author

Justin Hauke

More about this author >
    Footer Logo
    Support the Show-Me-Institute
    Showmeinstitute.org is brought to you by Show-Me Institute and Show-Me Opportunity.
    • Publications
    • Blog
    • Events
    • Donate
    • About
    • Contact

    Reprint permission for Show-Me Institute publications and commentaries is hereby granted, provided that proper credit is given to the author. We request, but do not require, that those who reprint our material notify us of publication for our records: [email protected]

    Mission Statement
    Advancing liberty with responsibility by promoting market solutions for Missouri public policy.

    © Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved