A free newspaper is worth a lot more than you might think.

A proposal by Columbus Councilwoman Priscilla R. Tyson would make it illegal to steal more than five copies of any free publication in the city.

The proposal contends that free publications are integral to the city’s economy. It states that the city’s two dozen free publications employ hundreds of workers and channel significant amounts of advertisement revenue.

But the issue goes beyond money. Ever since Americans have had First Amendment rights, their freedom of speech has been manifested through newspapers. Theft of a newspaper ­— no matter the cost — equates to a First Amendment violation.

For us at The Lantern, this law would be a preventative measure: We’ve never dealt with a widespread theft of our free publication. But newspaper theft is a growing problem, especially at universities.

Last year, more than 10,000 newspapers were reported stolen at seven colleges across the country. In a case at MIT, two uniformed police officers admitted throwing away 300 copies of an issue that featured a story about a cop charged with dealing drugs. Those officers were suspended without pay.

In most of the other cases, police never find the culprit. In one case at a university in Washington, D.C., police refused to investigate the theft of nearly 3,000 newspapers valued at $1,000.

All of this amounts to the fact that we face a problem in need of legal ramification. Tyson’s proposal is a good start, but it doesn’t go far enough.

Under the proposed law change, Title 39, thieves will face only a petty theft charge as long as the theft amounts to no more than $500 in damage. Each copy of The Lantern contains a clause stating that only the first newspaper is free — any after that costs 50 cents. So, under the proposal, someone can steal up to 1,000 papers (our property) and get away with a legal slap on the wrist.

We urge Columbus City Council to approve the law change. But most importantly, we urge the council to consider more than the economic consequences — nothing is worth more than our freedom of speech.