Gas station owner: political billboard is hurting business

MILFORD, Conn. (WTNH) -- A local gas station owner says a new billboard is bad for business, and he wants someone to take the political ad down.

The owner of the gas station says he has two issues with the sign. The first, he says, is the offensive language used, and the second is the location.

"It does look like it's on our property and it's causing commotion here," said Jay Hill, auto mechanic at USA Fuel.

The billboard, which accuses President Obama of being the entry drug to socialism, is located just two feet away from the gas station in Milford. It's so close that the gas station owner says his customers think it's his billboard, and if they don't like it, they don't stop to fuel up.

The station owner is out of the country on business, so News 8 talked to him about the issue over Skype.

"We have to explain no it's not ours, and that's if they ask," said Fayez Ghaly, owner of USA Fuel. "Some other people don't ask and they don't appreciate it and they just leave.

"Without giving you business," asked News 8's Ali Reed.

"Correct," said Ghaly.

"So have you been losing business as a result," asked Reed.

"Yes, since then I've lost quite a bit," Ghaly said.

The billboard and property it's on are owned by a Milford realtor. News 8 asked him what he thought about the claims that his billboard is hurting a local business.

"It doesn't seem to be hurting his business," said DeForest Smith, Executive VP of Pearce/Goerge J. Smith Realtors, "but if it is I certainly never intended to hurt anybody's business."

The gas station owner says for the past month it's been up, the billboard's 'offensive language' has insulted his customers and he wishes the act of free speech would take place a little farther away from his business.

The owner of the billboard says he will take down the sign, but not until after the November election.