By Carol Tannenhauser
It’s happened again. The Donald J. Trump highway beautification sign, located just before the West 79th Street exit on the West Side Highway going south, has been vandalized. Two stickers were affixed to the capitalized TRUMP name, announcing FINAL DAYS, like a going-out-of-business sale. This comes less than a month after the sign was removed for restoration following another vandalism event.
The sign has become a kind of Rorschach test for UWS drivers.
When it disappeared completely, many rejoiced, while others defended President Trump. Others took a philosophical view. Commenter Nevets K. (put on your Mister Mxyzptlk glasses) wrote, “I sort of like the sign. It’s yet another reminder of what’s so remarkable about New York: You can be having a great day, or make a million dollars in an afternoon on Wall Street, and then step in a big pile of dog crap on your way home. It’s a hubris-killing city. This sign reminds us that no matter how good things may seem, Trump (Death) may appear in our vista.”
This is how it’s meant to look.
Not if Richard Robbins, a longtime Upper West Sider, has his way. Robbins started a petition to have the sign removed permanently, declaring it is in violation of the NYC Department of Transportation’s policy forbidding political candidates from adopting highways. According to the petition, “NYC DOT’s own policy as per its website is that ‘Highways can be adopted by individuals, companies, or organizations (but not political candidates and campaigns).’ This sign should have been removed in 2015 and, according to DOT’s policy should not be in place now, as Trump has stated an intention to run again in 2024.”
Apparently, political candidates and campaigns are not healthy environments for signs. Nearly 1,000 people have signed the petition so far. You can see it here.
We’re awaiting DOT’s comments, including how much continually restoring the sign costs.
Regardless of which side your on, this is pretty hilarious.
That is appropriately festive Holiday Decoration … welcoming in the New Year … not Defacement…
agreed, it is pretty funny.
I dont consider a sticker vandalism though
*you’re!
So immature
Those Final Days stickers have been there for at least a couple weeks. Glad they haven’t been removed yet.
I hear from a friend that Trump is going to be embarking on a new “Highway Beautification” project very soon.
Namely, picking up garbage with a long, pointy stick as part of his community service, He’s lucky that orange is his color.:)
(I know, I know…let me have my dreams!)
Yep – this is a rag. Biden – will be the most illegitimate president as well as felonious president in the history of the country.
Red State, point to one piece of legitimate evidence that supports your prognostication that Biden will be the most felonious president in the history of this county. Just one. As to Biden’s legitimacy, he received the same number of electoral votes as Trump (who lost the popular vote to Clinton) did in 2016. And, Biden won the popular vote by more than 7 million. There is no legitimate evidence to contradict that. Period—end of story.
Bravo Red State. Biden is going to be a disaster. And if Harris becomes President during his term, god help us.
Thanks again to Mr. Robbins. This sign should have been gone once Trump announced his candidacy.
I don’t like Trump at all, but this is petty, bush league stuff. One thing to argue it oughn’t have been up since he declared candidacy (which sounds right), but another to deface it in a mocking way. We can be better than this, even in this age.
Well said
I am pretty sure this is literally the only remotely charitable thing he has ever done. His lack of donations to causes is truly amazing. It is really low hanging fruit to make a few modest donations to some prominent causes and would really help his image.
One night I was having a restaurant dinner with a couple. The man was a former NYPD. He told me that on 9/11, Trump very quietly put up many police and fire people in hotels.
Clearly those rooms were vacant to begin with. I’m sure he didn’t kick out any paying guests to accommodate them. Besides, giving away a few thousand a night in free room cannot compare to the millions he bilked NYC out of by devaluing his properties on his taxes.
You know he hasn’t taken any of his presidential salary and donated all of it? The ice rink in Central Park? There are many, you’re just blind.
He took salary and donated it in ways that benefited him which is not the same as ‘not taking a salary’ which he often claimed – and no doubt it generating a tax offset somehow, all while while costing taxpayers millions so he could play golf.
Also – don’t be fooled by the ice scaring rink restoration. He did it because the non-functional rink was a visual issue from condos he was trying to sell. He more than made it back on higher sales prices.
You need to brush up on how income taxes work. Tossing around phrases like ‘tax offset’ indicate you’re clueless.
Legally, it isn’t possible for Trump to work for free. He must get paid but then donates away his salary in an equal amount. The income must be recognized for tax purposes but then he’s allowed to take the charitable deduction. The net effect is zero. What’s happened is that funds have been transferred from the government through Trump to a charitable organization. Perfectly legal and the bottom line is that Trump didn’t have use of the money. So yes, he worked for free.
Are you unaware that he has donated his salary every quarter to various organizations or government agencies? Has Nadler done this? The Rosenthals?
@Leon: That would be true if he actually paid for it with his very own money, and not cash from some pseudo-campaign fund.
Leon is right on. Trump is a tightwad titan. For years he put none of his own money into the (now defunct — closed by the New York
A.G.) Trump Foundation. The Foundation took in donations from outside contributors and disbursed funds marked with Trump’s name. Philanthropic plagiarism!
Putting those stickers on the sign is an act of “defacing” it? Oh, please. This is NYC. That’s not defacing, that’s making a statement. This is not a news story.
You know, I wasn’t even going to read the Rag today, till I saw this. It just warms the cockles of my heart, whatever cockles are. I’m sure one of you can tell me and will, at great length, lol. Have a happy holiday, whether you believe it or not, we’re all in this together.
Everything must go!!!
Trump hates New York City whose citizens are only too happy to return the favor.
I like the imp’s suggestion that the sign is New York’s very own “Et in Arcadia Ego.” Ironies intended?
I do hope Adopt a Highway waits until it has the funds in hand before it makes a sign.
I think this hilarious graffiti artist deserves a Presidential Pardon, LOL
Not a Trump fan, but typical UWS nonsense.Will
Deblahhhsio get the same treatment when he’s got one foot out the door?
I’d hardly call this vandalism. If you’ve ever lived in any of the western states – pretty much any sign is full of bullet holes.
DOT, JUST MOVE IT TO ANOTHER LOCATION AND OUT OF OUR EYE VIEW ALRADY‼️