City Again Seizes Sex-Oriented Publications : News racks: Officials said the seizures were not based on the content, but were made because the vending machines were unlicensed.

For the second time in two months, the city has seized sexually oriented publications in news racks on the sidewalk in front of the Pomona post office.

In November, Mayor Donna Smith and her husband, Robert, picked up vending machines selling the Sun, LA X . . . Press and Hollywood Playmates near the post office and unloaded them on the steps of City Hall, complaining that the city staff had failed to crack down on the publications as instructed by the council.

Council members earlier had told city staff members to enforce current news rack safety and licensing regulations.

This week, Smith learned that one of the publications, LA X . . . Press, was back on sale in front of the post office. But this time, after she informed the city staff, a public works crew confiscated the racks, seizing two containing sex publications and a third that was empty.

Robert DeLoach, city public works director, said the seizures were not based on the contents of the publications, but were made because the machines were unlicensed and unsafe.

DeLoach said the city has surveyed news racks throughout the city, removing five others that were unlicensed or hazardous to pedestrians. Before installing racks, owners must gain a permit and pay a business license fee to the city.

DeLoach said the first machines seized by the mayor are still in the city’s possession. The owners of the publications were notified that their racks had been seized, but they have not responded, he said.

Smith said she intends to continue her campaign to rid the city’s sidewalks of sexual publications. She said she personally objects to selling the publications through news racks because they are available to children.

Efforts to reach the publishers of LA X . . . Press were unsuccessful. An advertising representative, however, said the news racks are owned by independent distributors, not by the paper.