Scott York and his new Board of Supervisors at their January 17 meeting (with the exception of Shawn Williams) fulfilled a quiet campaign promise to the development industry donors of hundreds of thousands of dollars to their campaigns: They eliminated the volunteer component of the Loudoun County sign collection program.

Sign trash on our roadsides is ugly. It’s bad for Loudoun’s huge tourism industry. It can distract drivers. It’s a hazard for VDOT workers. Tax paying citizens don’t like litter on their roads. Eight supervisors voted to help their campaign contributors continue to break the law.

Let us note for the record that each and every member of this new all-Republican Board joined their campaign contributors in violating the regulations regarding placement and size of signs last fall.

Let’s be clear: it’s still against state law to put signs in the rights of way along our roads. A group of civic-minded volunteers have been working to keep the roads clear of this public nuisance—at no cost to the county.

Loudoun citizens, note. This is a signature vote for a Board that says it wants to reduce the cost of government: they have eliminated a no-cost program that their campaign contributors didn’t like.

As you drive on Loudoun’s roads and see the road trash, think of your new Supervisors.

But the law is still the law, and volunteers will continue to enforce it.

Martha Polkey

Lucketts, VA