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Mayoral Murals

Martin O’Boyle wanted to remodel his house, but Mayor Joan Orthwein of Gulf Stream, Fla., rejected his plans. “The house [design] was beautiful, and the mayor said, ‘I don’t like the entry feature,” said O’Boyle. “That would be like having 10 cancer doctors telling you, ‘You need surgery,’ and your janitor saying, ‘Everything will be all right.” So O’Boyle resorted to painting his house — with commissioned murals showing local politicians in cartoon form. “I’m leading this ass to Town Hall,” says the vice mayor, depicted as a green figure out of “Shrek”, who is leading a donkey identified as the mayor. Officials claim the mural violates the local sign law, so O’Boyle sued. So far, a federal judge said O’Boyle hasn’t shown that the ordinance violates his right to free speech. (AC/ABC News) ...Just as the mayor’s veto of his architectural plans didn’t violate his property rights.
Original Publication Date: 21 July 2013
This story is in True’s book collections, in Volume 20.

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