City sticker created in-house after design fiasco

April 17, 2012 (CHICAGO) (WLS) -- Two months after a student design was dumped for using what some people saw as gang signs, the city of Chicago unveiled a city-designed vehicle sticker.

This 2012-2013 city sticker was designed in-house after questions were raised about the design of Herbie Pulgar, 15. Pulgar's city sticker was ready to go when questions about whether or not it used gang signs were raised. Pulgar denied the allegations, but his design was scrapped. The runner-up declined to participate.

"It's unfortunate but at the end of the day, I don't want to focus on that. We have moved past that. That's old news," City Clerk Susan Mendoza said.

Mendoza also unveiled what she says is an all-new, much more user-friendly way to purchase city stickers.

" All the changes that you see in technology in our office today have been done at no additional cost to the taxpayers," Mendoza said.

Most of the changes are designed to encourage people to go online to buy their stickers. A completely redesigned website is the first part of the process. The second is in the delivery method, where users can now bypass the U.S Post Office by picking the stickers.

" Don't waste your lunch break. Order it online and take five minutes to pick it up once it's ready. Big difference," Mendoza said.

For the 2012-2013 city stickers, online sales will begin on April 23, three weeks earlier than last year. In person sales will start May 1st. In addition, renewal forms will be mailed in late April, allowing an additional month for motorists to place their order via mail.

Finally, the new city sticker will have a qr code on the back, which smart phone users can scan, giving them access to a mobile site where drivers can look up street cleaning schedules, report a pothole, buy guest parking permits and even pay a parking ticket.

Mendoza says that despite all the controversy with the design they are ahead of schedule with the city sticker process for this year. As for whether they'll continue the student artwork contest for next year's design, that, is still being evaluated.

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local, michelle gallardo

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