Perhaps It's A Cultural Thing

It has been a full month since the local primary election was held, and thankfully nearly all of the election signs once sticking out of the ground have made their way to a distant garbage landfill where they belong. The big exception, unfortunately and curiously, is on Columbia Street below 3rd Street in the 2nd ward, where the bulk of the remaining signs can be found, imploring anyone with eyes to vote for Dewan Sarowar, Abdus Miah and Brian Herman.

Vote for me and my friends!  In 4 months!

According to public records, Abdus Satter Miah owns a house on lower Columbia Street. I have seen him in the area quite a bit over the years.

I have no idea where "Council Man" Dewan Sarowar lives, and I've never seen him in the 2nd ward or any ward for that matter.  Years ago, there were questions and concerns among a few of his fellow council members that he actually lived in Greenport.  The only property address that comes up for a Dewan Sarowar in a quick search of online tax records is on Green Acres Road, Hudson, NY 12534.  That mailing address is not entirely accurate, though, since Green Acres Road, far north of the city off of Joslen Boulevard, is technically located in Greenport, and not within Hudson's borders, regardless of how the mailing address reads.  Is it possible that Dewan is under the false impression that he lives in Hudson?

Brian Herman, the candidate for county judge, appears to own a house in Copake.

According to the TEMPORARY SIGN section of the Hudson City Code (244-34), paragraph G reads: "election signs shall not be erected prior to 40 days before any election and shall be removed no more than 5 days after the election."  Since there is no mention in this section of temporary signs being located on private or public property, the assumption is that the rule applies to both.  This is not the first year well before and after an election that I have noticed signs in the 2nd ward for Sarowar and Miah in plain sight and in plain defiance of the City Code,

Abdus Miah did not run in the primary a month ago, nor did any County Board of Supervisors candidates.  He will be on the ballot in November's election, 4 months from now.  His signs could be seen 5 to 6 months prior to the November election, just where they stand today.  

"Judges Matter," but the city code does not!

Recently via email, I asked Brian Herman why his large election banner was still attached to the fence at 5th and Warren. He responded that the banner was "on private property," as if that meant he had nothing to do with it and that he couldn't do anything about it. An attorney hoping to become the County Judge, and he shrugs at the Hudson City Code.

"It's our First Amendment right to let our signs and banners remain up for as long as we like," the three of them likely feel.

When we have elected officials who regularly flout an important city code, and allow their constituents to do so as well, it really makes you wonder what else they don't give a crap about and what other sections of the city code they feel are worthless and to be ignored. Maybe Hudson Common Council members whose name can be seen on several election signs in late July don't feel they have to live in Hudson to be a Common Council member. Maybe a judge who ignores the city code feels that no law applies to him or his family. Stranger things have happened.

Don't get me started on Shershah Mizan's obscenely enormous election sign still up in his front yard on Green Street at Fairview Avenue, one month after the primary and 4 months before the election.  The sight of that sign is so sickening to me that I can't take another picture of it, nor do I want to subject anyone else to it!

One wonders how our Code Enforcment Office feels about chapter 244-34 G of the code they are expected to enforce.  That is, if they are even aware of it.