Council Members Launch Campaign for Park Bonds

A quorum of San Diego City Council members competed Saturday with the shouts of soccer players and the roar of climbing airliners to launch the campaign in support of Proposition E, a $100-million city park bond measure on the Nov. 6 ballot.

“We’re legal,” said Mayor Maureen O’Connor, referring to the unofficial gathering of a majority of the nine-member council, “because we have already voted on this issue. And it was a unanimous vote.”

O’Connor and council members Ron Roberts, John Hartley, Abbe Wolfsheimer and Linda Bernhardt preached the need for the citywide park bond issue to a group of about 50 faithful at Robb Field in Ocean Beach. The mayor also unveiled artwork by Theodor Geisel--who is Dr. Seuss--which will be the official campaign poster and slogan. It depicts a cluster of houses and other buildings and a single green tree, with the slogan: “Leave Something Green.” Geisel, who has endorsed the bond measure, gave the city permission to use his work.

Roberts warned the group of community leaders that it would take “a concerted grass-roots effort” to pass the bond issue because of the large number of other issues, including state bond issues on the November ballot. He stressed that, unlike the state bond measures, Proposition E funds would be used locally.

Roberts, who has taken on leadership of the campaign, said that 30% of the bond money will go for acquisition of regional parks in the Otay River, San Dieguito River and Tijuana River valleys and the remainder will go for improvements in existing parks and development of city green-spots where none now exist.

Supporters include community groups, business associations and environmental groups. Advocates point out that the bond issue will cost property owners $16 a year for each $100,000 of assessed property value--less than the monthly cost for cable television service.