TITUSVILLE, Fla. – The Titusville city council turned down a $7,000 proposal to place a banner on a city water tower in honor of Comedy Central comedian Daniel Tosh, who graduated from Astronaut High in 1993.
Local 6 news partner Florida Today reports the plan called for a "TOSH 5.29" banner on the water tower from May 14 to June 10, with proceeds expected to provide funding for the Red, White and Boom! 2012 July Fourth celebration.
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Tosh, who will turn 37 next month, hosts the Comedy Central TV show "Tosh.0," that pokes fun at Internet videos.
"I don't think it's a good use of public property," Councilwoman Martha Long said. "The fact that there is $7,000 being waved in front of us, it's not worthy."
Council voted 4-1 to deny the proposal, with Councilwoman Rita Prichett as the lone vote in support of the banner. She suggested the city formulate a process to allow water tower ads.
"For $7,000 a month, it might be a great way to raise revenue, we would get to approve the material that is put on the tower so it is not offensive," Prichett said.
Councilwoman Kathleen Burson commented that it might be a good place for public advertisement, and Long suggested putting the Greater Titusville Renaissance logo on the water tower.
Titusville was contacted April 11 by C2C Outdoor to see whether the city would consider putting the banner on its water tower on State Road 405 west of Park Avenue.
C2C Outdoor is a New York-based media firm that places advertising on billboards, buses, take-out boxes, coffee sleeves, taxi tops and airport banners. The company's clients include Comedy Central, Abercrombie & Fitch, Oakley, Sundance Channel.
"They want advertise and celebrate his roots in Titusville with a banner," said Tom Abbate, director of Support Services for Titusville, said last week. "They are willing to make a contribution to the city in order to have that for a period of 30 days."
Tosh was born May 29, 1975, in Boppard, Rhineland-Palatinate, West Germany, and grew up in Titusville. He graduated from the University of Central Florida in 1996 with a degree in marketing.