“I think that I shall never see a billboard as lovely as a tree.”
Altering Joyce Kilmer’s poem may require an apology, but Georgia legislators owe the poet more than an apology for voting to support billboards over trees.
Recently passed HB 179 will authorize billboard companies to cut down trees on public property with virtually no restrictions. Will the state and its taxpayers be justly compensated for the trees removed? No. Will the nearby residents be compensated for losing the protections provided by trees? No.
Billboard companies claim HB 179 will increase jobs by promoting businesses. Hogwash! If there really is a pent-up demand to advertise on billboards, then why are so many existing signs available for lease?
The Tri-Cities is crisscrossed by four major freeways — I-75, 85, 285 and 166. So the area has more than its share of ugly billboards.
The plethora of billboards is not all that plagues the area. Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, hundreds of surface streets, parking lots and large buildings are also located in the Tri-Cities. Because of the significant amount of impervious surface and high volume of air and vehicle traffic, residents suffer the consequences of increased storm-water runoff, noise, air and water pollution.
Trees mitigate the harm created by heavy traffic and excessive impervious surfaces. Cutting trees to protect billboards protects one special interest at the expense of residents’ quality of life.
Tri-Cities legislators are well aware of the problems faced by residents, and the votes of Sen. Vincent Fort and Reps. Gloria Bromell-Tinubu and Sharon Beasley-Teague on HB 179 respond to those concerns. The legislators voted to protect trees over billboards. These legislators deserve our thanks.
Sen. Donzella James and Reps. Joe Heckstall and Ralph Long III chose instead to protect billboards over vulnerable neighborhoods and beleaguered residents. Perhaps they believe billboard companies’ claim that few trees will be removed. If that were true, then why didn’t the companies hold to a compromise on tree protection reached a few years ago at the Legislature? Apparently, these legislators do not understand that it requires an increase in tree canopies to mitigate noise, pollution and storm water runoff.
Billboard company employees called Tri-Cities legislators to support HB 179 and claimed to live in their districts. Even if the callers were correct about where they lived, there are far more constituents who complain about storm-water runoff and airport noise than there are billboard company employees who live in the Tri-Cities.
Of course, there could be other reasons for supporting the billboard companies. Rep. Heckstall received campaign contributions from the industry, including one in his recent re-election campaign when he had no opposition.
The long-suffering Tri-Cities’ residents deserve better. Their complaints should have been heeded by all of their state representatives. Instead, some of their legislators voted to aid billboard companies over their constituents. Shame on them!
Teresa Nelson is a former East Point City Council member. Reach her at neely404@bellsouth.net
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