San Jose City Councilman Accused Of Stealing Campaign Sign
SAN JOSE (KCBS) _ San Jose firefighters are going on the offensive against a city councilman who they accuse of illegally taking a campaign sign from private property.
The San Jose Firefighters and Police Officers Unions are now offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to the prosecution and conviction of those who steal or vandalize "No on V" campaign signs.
The citywide ballot measure would set limits on when arbitrators could be used to settle pension issues.
KCBS' Chris Filippi Reports:
Firefighters Union President Randy Sekany said San Jose Councilman Pierluigi Oliverio illegally took down one of the "No on V" signs posted at Curtner Avenue and Almaden Road.
"He took it off a private property, completely illegal. Then decided rather than accept the responsibility, he ran from those who witnessed him doing it," said Sekany.
The whole incident was caught on video, but Oliverio is standing by his actions.
He said the sign he took down was illegally placed in a public right-of-way.
"By legal standard, it's not even really property," Oliverio said. "It's really considered trash or litter because you're leaving something in the public right-of-way. It's the same thing if you dropped a quarter on the sidewalk and then I came by and picked it up an hour later."
Oliverio said San Jose is littered with campaign signs that are illegally placed on public property.
San Jose police said that no one has been cited or arrested in connection with the alleged sign theft.
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