What’s Your Signage? (2004)

How On-Premise Signs Help Small Businesses Tap into a Hidden Profit Center A handbook developed by The New York State Small Business Development Center and the Signage Foundation for Communications Excellence. Download What’s Your Signage?

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Analysis of Legal and Legislative Strategies

The following article originally appeared in the August 1987 issue of Signs of the Times magazine. By R. James Claus, Ph.D., Karen E. Claus, Ph.D. Donald W. Large, L.L.B. The history of sign-control legislation shows that certain approaches are successful and produce fair regulation, which benefits the entire community. Industry representatives who utilize positive strategies […]

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Representative Options

By Bill Dorsey The on-premise and outdoor-advertising industries are periodically subject to both pending and proposed legislation. Here’s how five spokesmen for national sign associations protect and defend their industries. The roles played by most associations are varied, but most have at least one role in common: They all serve as legislative watchdogs for their […]

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Sign Codes and the Need for Advocacy

The following article originally appeared in the October 1983 issue of Signs of the Times magazine. This is Part II of a speech given at the Eight-Sheet Outdoor convention in San Francisco. By R. James Claus Objectives in code writing Sign-industry involvement in the code-writing process should include two goals: That signs be regulated to conform […]

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Some Policy Considerations For Sign Legislation

The following article originally appeared in the July 1973 issue of Signs of the Times magazine. By Dr. R.James Claus The following article outlines some problems of various North American cities in dealing with the visual environment. We hope this information helps any policy-making body realize the ultimate effect that its decisions regarding signage will have on larger questions, such […]

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First Amendment Aspects of Takings

The following article originally appeared in Signs of the Times magazine. By Karen E. Claus, JD Phd This month, the author examines the First Amendment aspects of takings by looking at the cases of Linmark Assoc., Inc. et. al. v. Township of Willingboro et. al., which concerned real-estate signage. and Omni Outdoor Adv Inc. v. […]

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Supreme Court Ruling Strengthens Just Compensation

The following article originally appeared in the August 1987 issue of Signs of the Times magazine. The Fifth Amendment guarantees that private property shall not “be taken for public use, without just compensation.” Those words have caused much heated debate and litigation ever since they were written. In a 6-3 decision on June 9, 1987 the Supreme […]

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Establishing the Worth of an On-Premise Sign

How to apply the market-comparison and cost-of-replacement valuation methods to an on-premise sign This article originally appeared in the October 1999 issue of Signs of the Times magazine. By Dr. R. James Claus and Thomas A. Claus In last month’s column, we examined a car wash’s new, $15,000 pole sign and began assessing its economic […]

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