Commercial Handbills: Communication or Irritation?

By Mark Forsythe The Kansas City Post Recently I found a flyer taped to my front door. It had a very formal looking header "Neighborhood Enhancement Program." Since the flyer was stark and formal looking I read further. Perhaps it was from my homes association or even the City. As I read further I recognized a new version of the same tired old pitch our neighborhoods get every year; address numbers painted on your curb. This particular flyer offered the added incentive of an American flag painted next to your address. Only, of course if you support our troops. If you don't support our troops you can have just your address painted. Manipulate much? This year's pitch was pretty benign but in the past I have seen very aggressive flyers that imply that the police or fire department will not be able to find your house without curb numbers. I've even seen implications that curb numbers are required by law or your homes association. When I was in sales we used to call this "pitching FUD." (Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt). It's a technique used by less then reputable salespeople to play on a potential client's insecurities. "It's probably not going to happen but why take the chance?" Most seasoned neighborhood leaders have seen these flyers and know to alert their neighbors, especially seniors, that they are in no danger and the police and fire departments are more than capable of finding their homes. But every year enough people fall for this seemingly harmless entrepreneurial venture to keep the stencil makers in business for one more year. I don't begrudge anyone trying to earn an honest dollar, but manipulating people to do so is crossing the line. In a faltering economy the incidences of door to door scams begin to rise. It's now more important than ever to protect those who are easily preyed upon by unscrupulous individuals looking to make a quick buck. We already have an ordinance in Kansas City that makes it illegal to pass out commercial flyers without a permit. Chapter 4 - Article II of the KC Muncipal Code. Unfortunately the ordinance offers little in the way of protection through fines and penalties for the perpetrators. Some quick changes to the text could include the requirement that a business license number be printed on any commercial flyer. Flyers should have genuine contact information on them. Most of all, flyers should not have misleading or fraudulent information on them. It seems like such a small thing. Compared to a billion dollar sewer problem and some of the country's most degraded infrastructure the concept of controlling commercial flyers seems inconsequential. But it's the accumulation of the little things that can add up to an overall larger problem. A scam here, an intimidated resident there. Little things need attention too. It's not trendy and it won't generate any press, but it's a way to make some Kansas Citians' lives a little bit better. If one fixed-income resident is protected from being duped out of forty bucks to have some spray paint put on their curb isn't that a good thing?