A billboard erected by a private business in a rural Massachusetts town is drawing fire for showing a little girl flipping the bird and criticizing President Obama’s economic policy.

“Thanks Obama,” the billboard reads. “You’ve spent my lunch money, my allowance, my inheritance, 35 years of future paychecks and my retirement. You jerk.”

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The billboard, which was put up by Robert Sullivan in front of the motorcycle accessories store he owns, is not the only controversial ad on the property. Nearby, another sign built by Sullivan reads, “Somewhere in Kenya, a village is missing its idiot. Obama: One big ass mistake America.” Both signs implore readers to vote for Mitt Romney in November.

Some residents are complaining that the signs are offensive, and they worry about the message being sent to their kids. Town officials, for their part, say the signs have to go—not because of their content, but because Mr. Sullivan did not get the proper permits needed to put up the signs in the first place.

According to the Patriot-Ledger, Hanson town officials told Mr. Sullivan in early August that he must remove the signs. But Sullivan, who declined to speak with the paper, said through his lawyer that his billboards are protected by the First Amendment, and that he will not take them down. His lawyer, in a letter to the town, rebuffed their demand and said that the signs were political speech and therefore should be allowed to stand.