A handmade sign hanging on the fence outside Herman’s Plumbing Service on South Nevada Avenue announces: “Joe the Plumber works here. Call for appointment.”

Actually, there is no Joe at Herman’s. There’s just owner David Lohse, grandson of founder Herman, and three employees. But all of them are real plumbers, unlike the bald dude who became an iconic figure in John McCain’s bid for the presidency, a symbol for the kind of small-businessman the Arizona senator says would be hurt by opponent Sen. Barack Obama’s tax plan.

Lohse, a friendly guy who enjoys riding his Ducati motorcycles on his days off, may not spell his name with a J, but he reckons he’s a regular Joe. And he’s certainly an enterprising small-businessman who recognizes a good – if short-lived – schtick when he sees it.

“I put it up just as a spoof – and for free advertising,” Lohse said Wednesday. “I got a lot people calling who said, ‘I want to talk to Joe the Plumber.’ We’d ask if they wanted to make an appointment and they’d say, ‘No, I just want to talk to Joe.'”

Lohse said none of the callers was offended when told there’s no Joe there.

“Everyone just gets a kick out of it,” he said.

Lohse actually isn’t very enamored with either presidential candidate. He doesn’t think either has proposed a plan that will solve the burden of health insurance costs for small businesses or their employees.

He also hasn’t heard Obama or McCain devote much time to the importance of “the trades” in America’s economy – and the growing problem of getting young people interested in hard but well-paid skilled labor.

It turns out Lohse isn’t too enamored with “Joe the Plumber” either. The Associated Press has reported Joe Wurzelbacher, whose first name is actually Samuel, is not a licensed plumber, has a lien on his property for not paying $1,182 in personal property tax to the state of Ohio and earns a salary that would qualify him for a tax break under Obama’s tax plan.

“Joe the Plumber” was embraced by the McCain campaign when he asked Obama if he would be subjected to higher taxes if he bought the business he works for now. Obama has proposed raising taxes on those who make more than $250,000 a year.

“The whole thing has been funny, but for it to come out that he’s such a goofball, it kind of discredits the plumbing business,” Lohse said.

And that’s a shame.

“The trades have some very smart, educated people in them.”

Smart enough to put out a “Joe the Plumber works here” sign.

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Contact the writer: 636-0197 or bill.mckeown@gazettedev.gazette.com

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