The high profile digital billboard in the picture is featured on the New York City DOT twitter page.  Queens Chronicle reports that a New York assemblywoman want to have a say in whether a digital billboard should exist at an approach to the RFK Triborough Bridge.  The assemblywoman claims the sign is a traffic hazard.  The sign is on property owned by the New York Mass Transit Authority.  Outfront owns the sign.  The assemblywoman claims the sign is illegal under city planning regulations.

Insider’s take:  The state DOT and New York Department of buildings don’t have any jurisdiction here because the sign is on MTA property.  Seems to Insider like it set a bad precedent to require sign-off from the local assemblyman for every new digital sign or billboard.  Nothing will come of this except delay and the possibility of political shakedowns.

By the way, Insider hears that New York City is pursuing legal action to make companies who place advertising on billboards owned by other people in New York City register as billboard operators and pay taxes as billboard operators.  Seems like an attempt to collect taxes and permit fees twice.  Once from the billbord owner and once from the company selling the advertising.  Insider will write more about this later in the week.

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