The Michigan Chamber of Commerce reaffirms its longstanding position in support of outdoor advertising as necessary and important to the ability of Michigan businesses to inform customers about products and services.

Because billboards are already adequately regulated under state and federal law, and increasingly subject to regulation by local units of government, the Michigan Chamber is opposed to proposed legislation that would further regulate the industry by: establishing an advisory council administered by the Michigan Department of Transportation to define best practices for the industry; increase billboard permit fees and establish a government fund to remove certain billboards; and place a cap on the number of billboards in Michigan by stopping new permits from being issued.

Background

Since enactment of the federal Highway Beautification Bill of 1965, the question of who should regulate outdoor advertising and the related issue of how far billboard regulation should go has been an issue of interest and concern to Michigan’s business community. The Michigan Chamber’s first policy proposal concerning this subject was adopted by the Board of Directors in January of 1966.

Over the years, federal, state, and now local government regulation of billboards has increased considerably. Several years ago the Michigan Chamber filed an amicus brief in support of the outdoor advertising industry position that local ordinances adopted by several Michigan cities to require the removal of some billboards constituted a government taking of private property without just compensation. In support of commercial free speech, the Michigan Chamber has also spoken out against various proposals to regulate or censor the content of billboard advertising. As the attached news release from the Outdoor Advertising Association shows, many members of the Michigan Chamber routinely use billboards as part of their advertising campaigns.

While some individuals and groups advocate additional regulation of outdoor advertising, others would like to see billboards banned entirely. It is often hard to separate these agendas as opponents of outdoor advertising have most recently attempted to reframe the issue as a question of land use or scenic beauty, as the attached news release from State Senator Tom George suggests.

At the September 2003 Board meeting, the Board reviewed and approved a series of Chamber policy statements in response to numerous recommendations from the Governor’s Land Use Leadership Council, including a statement opposing the Council recommendation that “MDOT should propose a billboard management program including strategies to limit billboards and increase fees on billboards to remove illegal billboards”. That statement reads as follows:

“Many Michigan Chamber members rely on billboards to communicate with customers. For many years, the Michigan Chamber has actively opposed legislative or legal efforts to prohibit or severely restrict the use of billboards. Michigan Chamber staff recommends that we maintain our longstanding position in support of outdoor advertising.”