Statue of Liberty still dancing in North Augusta, for now
The Liberty Tax dancers advertising for North Augusta business were back at it again Friday, but local law enforcement officers said they haven’t cited the owner of business yet.
North Augusta Public Safety Lt. Tim Thornton said law enforcement is trying to work with Liberty Tax’s owner Cuylor Leverett, but officers are acting on citizen complaints and concerns.
He said Public Safety will enforce the ordinance that prohibits ballyhooing, which is defined in the dictionary as “extravagant publicity or fuss.”
According to the ordinance, “it shall be unlawful for any person to solicit business in the city by calling out through megaphones or otherwise, to persons passing or standing on the street, or to solicit or attract trade by methods commonly known as ‘ballyhooing’ or ‘pulling in’ or by the use of any mechanical appliance creating a noise.” (Sec. 15-75 – Code 1970, 28-6)
Thornton said Public Safety has asked Liberty Tax Service to stop their advertising campaign using employees dressed as Statues of Liberty because their behavior is distracting and a violation of the law.
In Georgetown, actors portraying the Statue of Liberty to advertise were cited as being in violation of the town’s ban on three-dimensional signs, according to the Associated Pres.
A similar ban was also enforced in Florence, where The Associated Press reported that officials told Liberty Tax Service it cannot use people dressed as Lady Liberty to advertise the business on city streets.
Thornton said Public Safety is allowing the employees to stand in front on the business on the sidewalk but said they cannot distract motorists.
“They have been informed of the law,” Thornton said. “If they choose to ignore our warnings and the advertising campaign continues, they will be in violation of the law, and we will take the appropriate criminal action against them.”
Karen Daily, a graduate of USC, has been the crime reporter at the Aiken Standard for seven years. She has reported here since 2001.
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