Business owner takes down flag

TAMARAC, Fla. (WSVN) -- A South Florida man has removed his an American flag from in front of his business to avoid fines.

Mike Neuroth gave up his fight with the City of Tamarac after the city ordered him to get a permit to put up a flag pole and flag.

Neuroth runs a Laundromat that is next to an adult video store. He said he put up the flag to draw attention away from the adult store next door to his business.

The city said Neuroth needed to take out a permit to have the flag up and have the pole properly inspected. "It's what happens in a wind storm that the city is concerned about. He didn't apply for a permit," said a city official.

Neuroth said the city required so many permits, which would add up to about $2,000. "They told me that I needed to get an engineered drawing of the foundation, engineered drawing of what pole would go in, and have a wind study done to make sure that the flag would blow down," said Neuroth.

Neuroth instead gave up the battle with the city and took his American flag and pole down. "Rather than spend the money to put up the American flag, I cut it down," said Neuroth. "It's just like you must have nothing better to do than this. It tastes pretty fat, and I can't say on TV what it tastes like."

Neuroth is considering putting up the flag on top of his building but does not know if it's possible.

(Copyright 2012 by Sunbeam Television Corp. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)