"I do that under the rights I have under theFirst Amendment. That can't be suffocated by aCambridge ordinance or any other ordinance," headded.

City officials said the billboards will almostcertainly stay up beyond Saturday.

"Ackerley is such a large company with a lot ofmoney and political influence," resident Thi Huynhtold the council Monday. "They're planning tolitigate until everyone drops out."

Ackerley Outdoor Advertising is a division ofthe Seattle-based Ackerley Communications Inc.,which owns the Seattle Supersonics basketballteam.

The company's last legal challenge wasprotracted.

In 1988 and 1989, the city attempted to have 34billboards removed, charging that they were inviolation of the rules of the state OutdoorAdvertising Board (OAB) by being less than 300feet away from a public park and by being "out ofharmony" with their respective neighborhoods.

Appointed by the governor, the OAB regulatespublic signs and billboards.

A Suffolk County Superior Court Judge ruledthat 17 of the billboards were in violation, butlet 17 remain. Both Ackerley and the cityappealed, and all 34 are still in legal limbo.

The ban may be equally ineffective at removingthe remaining 18 billboards. Earlier, Ackerleysuccessfully sued the town of Somerville tofederal court, forcing the town to pay $130,000 indamages, including all of the company's legalfees, Nickinello said.

Healy said the city will treat the billboardviolations, which officially start Monday--thefirst business day after Saturday--like any otherzoning violations.

He said the Cambridge will attempt normaladministrative action before resorting tolitigation.

The state commissioner of inspectionalservices, Robert Bersani, will first send"administrative enforcement letters" to Ackerleyand Rite Media, the city manager said.

But Healy conceded that "the billboards willnot disappear on June 10 or 11 or 12."

"We know that this will be the subject of asignificant legal challenge," he acknowledged.

Ackerley is expected to appeal to the zoningboard for a permit to let the billboards stay andallow the violation to continue.