Re-Using Old Campaign Signs to Advocate for Passage of Amendment 8, Part I

Three weeks ago I asked our School Board Attorney about the legality of re-painting and re-using discarded campaign signs to advocate for Amendment 8 this fall on the ballot.  I know the campaign in support of 8 will be anemic at best, and I also know the Organized Teacher's Union Campaign to Defeat 8 will be strong and well funded.  Knowing this, I want to do my small part in helping to get 8 approved this fall.   This week, I received the following email from our attorney.

The aforementioned (linked above) string begins with an email from our attorney to the Escambia County Supervisor of Elections asking the question about sign re-use, who in turn seeks clarification on the law from the Florida Department of State deputy legal counsel.

To summarize, per this email, re-use of discarded signs is legal as an independent expenditure, provided the effort is not "coordinated" (whatever that means, I'm going to request clarification on that...) and the value of the independent expenditure is not $5,000.00 or more. Any posted signs must also carry an Independent Endorsement Disclaimer like the one below which I'll use..

Okay, so now that I know it is legal, it is time for me to get to work...

What shall we paint on our signs?  Well, brevity is important and everybody cares about $ money.  I'm no advertising executive, but after thoroughly studying this "right size class size, amendment 8" issue and reading this document from Florida Tax Watch, I think the following will suffice for a slogan  "VOTE YES ON 8, SAVE BILLIONS"

Next, I pull out some large format campaign signs, which are blank on one side and I begin stencilining in and cutting out my "template sign"

Once I finish my template, I'll be able to use it to create multiple signs which I will then post around town.  More on that in part II