Mayor Sends Sign Man Christmas Card

Sign Man Questions Town Reading Skills: What Ordinance?

Mr. Morris:

Yesterday, Dec. 8,  you cited me for two violations of the
Taos sign code:  15.08.410 Q and 15.08.260 G.  As neither of these
sections are included in my copy of the sign code,  I went to your
office at Town Hall early this morning for an explanation.  I spoke with
Rudy Perea from your office, and he could not find either of these
sections either.  He provided me with a copy of the document that he was
looking at.

You may find it amusing to continue to cite me for various rules which
do not exist, or charge me with violations of over one-third of the
code--- and then seize my property as well, including the four stuffed
dogs you took yesterday.  I'm not amused.  In fact, your activity causes
me a great amount deal harm.

I suggest you amend the ticket to reflect an ordinance that actually
does exist, or drop the whole thing.  While you apparently have until
January 4, 2012 to fix this mess, I ask that you do so immediately;  I
wish to get the matter settled very quickly, so that I may go one with
my life.  I will assume that if you do not resolve this confusion by
Monday, Dec. 13, by 12:01 pm, with notification to me and the Taos
Municipal Court, that you will withdraw the citation.

Yours,    Jeffery Northrup

(Editor’s Note: Apparently Mayor Darren Cordova has been studying the methods of Taos Pueblo’s WarChief, Edwin Concha, or, perhaps they were separated at birth. Tsk. Tsk.)

Dear Mayor Cordova:

You may recall that I was tried in Taos Municipal Court in front of Judge Eugene Sanchez for alleged right-of-way violations of the Taos sign code on October 18, 2011. You were called to testify by my subpoena, which you initially fought, through an Albuquerque attorney; that attorney was able to get the trial postponed for a few weeks, and kept you from being held in contempt of court when you failed to appear on the originally scheduled date. He represented you on October 18.

Because the judge was sleepy and wanted to go home, your attorney objections at every turn, and my inability to get you to concede even the most obvious facts, you spent only about 15 or 20 minutes on the stand. Two of your town employees, Rachel Romero and William Morris, also testified. Much like my trial in March, 2011, for criminal trespass on your property, your people had no trouble blatantly perjuring themselves– it’s almost laughable how you and yours have no respect for the oath you take in court.

Judge Sanchez made it clear very early in the proceedings that the town’s case was a joke, and that he would rule against you; as stated earlier, he wanted to go home, but I wanted to make the town employees, including you, admit that the code was being selectively enforced, against me, and only me. I was being singled out for the content of my signs, not their placement. The town laughs at the US Constitution when dealing with me.

I resumed my picketing in the town two or three times prior to November
23. On that day, I again was ticketed, and my signs again illegally seized. I was instructed to appear in Municipal Court by December 8 to enter a plea. I went there Dec 7, but nothing could be done because the town had yet to file their paperwork with the court, something that is quite unusual. I have strong reason to believe that the court was in contact with Mr. Morris’ Code Enforcement office later on Dec. 7, alerting them to the paperwork problem. The deadline for delivery was by 10:00 am Dec. 8. As the papers were still not there at that time, the judge dismissed the case.

The charges brought against me on that ticket were extremely vague, actually impossible to determine. I suspect that Mr. Morris and his crew were dispatched on very short notice late on that Thanksgiving eve afternoon to get me off the road. They didn’t know what to charge me with, so they almost randomly chose two sections of the sign code. I’m guessing that they were too embarrassed to show up in court— they did get me off the road, including one sign which was across from your not-yet- opened restaurant. I up till now have not picketed in the town while legal issues between me and the town were in the works.

Feeling relieved, I set up my signs around 2:00 pm later that same day, Dec. 8, in much the same place of the above two incidents— that is, near the County Complex on the east, and Wendy’s/Centinel Bank on the west. Within an hour, Mr. Morris and his minions showed up, ticket in hand, and brand new charges for me to figure out. Without giving me an opportunity to pick up my signs (which the sign code says they must do), the town employees were again stealing this property, tossing my signs into their truck, no receipts given. I must say that my frustration level showed, as I resisted as best I could without guns, tasers, and handcuffs being drawn by your employees.

There is no doubt in my mind that these activities are being directed by you, and only you. It is clear that you and the code enforcement people have no interest in bothering the numerous people who actually have street-side signs that do violate the sign code along Paseo Sur andNorte. Judge Sanchez made note several times during the Oct. 23 trial that the town actions clearly indicate selective enforcement against me, particularly egregious as my signs do not violate the code, unlike numerous others.

I’ve bent over backwards to get along with the town, but the town (read: you) has acted like thugs and storm troopers. Maybe I’ve become a bit empowered by the Occupy people who have stood their ground, and refused to lay down to cowards such as you who use the police power to stifle dissent.

I ask that you reconsider your ongoing illegal actions in ignoring your oath of office to uphold the New Mexico Constitution, the US Constitution, and the Town of Taos codes. I’m not going away……. your disregard for the rule of law must.

Sincerely,

Jeff Northrup