Sanitation: WE DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING...WE DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING...

It took a while but the con artist's sign is now GONE. Here is the original post:

"We didn't see anything," is what Sanitation has replied, for months, to 311 and Internet complains about THIS sign:  

Is that so hard to see? It's up ALL DAY. 

Sanitation personnel driving by in a car, given the EXACT location of the sign between 77th and 78th, can't see it? What time did they drive by, 7am? 9pm? 

THE MAYOR...THE PUBLIC ADVOCATE...THE CONGRESS PERSON...

Where does the BUCK STOP? 

A sign like this should be CONFISCATED after a second or third strike. The city tows away cars. It's easy to cut the chain on a sign like this. Keep it for 30 days OR simply destroy it. 

Think of the money the city can make if Sanitation CLIPS a sign like this, stows it FLAT somewhere, and then tosses it if they don't get $200 to return the "property." 

There's a big difference between somebody's chained "property" such as a bicycle, and a chained A-Frame sign. Is that so hard to figure out?

What is so difficult about having laws and enforcing them? The sign has a phone number on it. Call the number, explain the sign has been clipped, and they've got 30 days to claim it.

OR, empower Sanitation to write a ticket AND confiscate the sign. "You owe the city $200 for your illegal sign, and if you want it back, pay another $200." There won't be a problem after that, and word will get around to the other phony "psychics" and anyone else playing games with A-frame signs. 

These gypsy swindlers are the ones who are most likely to chain the A-frames because they see others get away with it. This MUST stop. 

It's sad when some immigrant's life savings are taken because they are superstitious and fall for a tarot reader's scan. It's sad when an old person is so confused with grief that a palm reader can do a "bajour" and say "I'll tell you what your deceased loved one's advice is...for a PRICE...." 

We all know the carny tricks these creeps use.  

Sanitation should be allowed to fine and clip signs and answer complaints PROMPTLY. If someone reports a sign being up at NOON, don't say "We arrived at 7 am and didn't see it." BE ACCOUNTABLE. Also, if the complaints keep coming in, take that extra step and show up THE SAME DAY. 

Get the 19th Precinct in on this. Haul the gypsy down to The Tombs for 3 days, and maybe she won't put up another sign so quickly. Maybe she'll even LEAVE TOWN. 

ISN'T IT TIME "ELVIS" STOPS BEING A CHEATING SCOFFLAW?

For five years or more, a "computer repair" scofflaw has been papering the city with "REPAIR" signs.  You've seen them:  

UPDATE JUNE 1st: LAST MONTH, NOBODY SAW ANY OF THESE SIGNS. IT'S POSSIBLE "ELVIS" GOT FINED ENOUGH TO STOP, OR JUST GOT ENOUGH TAX-FREE BUSINESS TO BE TOO BUSY TO POST MORE.

original post: 

WHAT is keeping this guy around, with his corny "ASK FOR ELVIS" line, and his stupid photo of a poor sick computer with a thermometer in its mouth? 

Why is this city of bureaucrats and buck-passers unable to stop a JERK from taping signs to bus shelters every other day, and hitting every traffic signal box and lamppost? It's been going on for YEARS, with on-and-off blitzes on bus shelters. 

Whoever is PUBLIC ADVOCATE doesn't return calls or emails. Whoever answers the phone at 311 is bound to waste 15 minutes of the caller's time in asking "now what is this?" And "excuse me I'm not sure what agency handles this." And "let me write this down..." 

Sanitation may or may NOT keep an eye out for more signs. If they're told a sign is on a bus shelter on 86th, they will not bother to look and see if there's another on 88th or 90th, and the template on the Sanitation website doesn't give room for more than about 100 words to explain the problem.   

What is the solution? ACTION when a report is made. 

SCOFFLAWS should pay DOUBLE the fine EVERY time they are caught.

The city should have a law that makes sure that the phone number on the sign is DISCONNECTED IMMEDIATELY. Don't make it so easy for these creeps to use the same number.  

There are plenty of legit computer repair services around who PAY TAXES and have a STOREFRONT and are RESPONSIBLE. The city shouldn't be rewarding cheats or putting gullible citizens at risk of identity theft or other scams.