Much has been written about taxing or banning billboards in Baltimore ("Billboard company sues over city tax," Aug. 17).
The public space is the property of the public and should not be commercialized through use of billboards without requiring permits and subject to taxation and in some instances should be banned outright.
Billboards are frequently a blight on the landscape and a hazard to motorists. They can be permitted if located on the premises of the business being advertised. Otherwise, they must be carefully controlled and banned from visually polluting aesthetic areas including central business districts, parklands, and public highways.
Jack Kinstlinger, Towson