Strengthening the Economy by Protecting Our Environment
 

The states that do the most to protect their natural resources also wind up with the strongest economics and the best jobs.
--The Institute for Southern Studies

As a state, Pennsylvania is rich in natural beauty and cultural heritage. From rolling farmland, to historic battlefields, to acclaimed architecture, Pennsylvania has much to offer. Preserving these resources by protecting the scenic environment not only ensures that our state will remain beautiful, it also ensures that Pennsylvania's economy will be strong.

The Agenda

Establish a state scenic byways program.
Beautiful, blight-free highways attract tourists, enhance preservation, and contribute to a strong state economy. Their value has been proven in New York, Colorado, Ohio, New Jersey, and California.

Protect the right of local governments to preserve the scenic environment.
Using the state's legal system, the billboard industry continues to challenge municipalities that want to control or prohibit outdoor advertising.

Demand full enforcement of laws to control outdoor advertising.
Across the state, laws created to restrict the size, type, and number of billboards are being ignored; and billboards that according to law should be removed, do not come down.

Increase permit-and-license fees for billboards to sufficient levels.
Pennsylvania has one of the lowest fee schedules in America--75 percent lower than in many states. The revenue is not nearly enough to properly regulate and control the multimillion dollar outdoor-advertising industry.

Better for Business

Ugly is bad for business! It's that simple. Things that destroy the scenic nature of a place--such as billboards, litter, and graffiti--scare away customers. Business grows in states and municipalities that control and protect the scenic environment.

Quality of Life

Pennsylvania's long-term economic vitality depends on our ability to attract and retain a young, energetic, and skilled workforce. Because modern service industries look at employees' lifestyle satisfaction when deciding where to locate, we have to make sure our state is a beautiful place to live. An uncontrolled visual environment, full of billboards, sends the message that Pennsylvania doesn't care.

Cost to Taxpayers

Expenses for regulating the outdoor-advertising industry far exceed state revenues from permits and licenses. That is why billboards actually cost taxpayers money! In addition, small municipalities that attempt to fight the multibillion-dollar billboard industry are overwhelmed by high legal expenses. Society bears an excessive burden for enforcement.

Growth of Tourism

As the second largest industry in Pennsylvania, tourism creates millions of jobs across the state. That's why programs designed to protect the visual environment--such as scenic byways, historic districts, and billboard-free zones--stimulate the economy. By preserving the state's natural beauty and showcasing its three centuries of history, we will increase tourism substantially.

To endorse the Pennsylvania Scenic Agenda and stay informed, please send us:

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Society Created to Reduce Urban Blight
1315 Walnut Street, Suite 1605
Philadelphia, PA  19107
E-mail: scrub@urbanblight.org
(215) 731-1796 voice
(215) 732-5725 fax

We take stock of a city like we take stock of a man.
The clothes or appearance are the externals by which we judge.

--Mark Twain