San Francisco voters on Tuesday were evenly split in early returns on a measure to allow general advertising signs and billboards along mid-Market Street in the hopes of transforming the beleaguered neighborhood.
Proposition D – the most controversial measure on an uncharacteristically short, dull San Francisco ballot – would allow the signs on Market Street between Fifth and Seventh streets, and a percentage of the proceeds would be used to fund youth cultural and arts education and to build a ticket booth at Hallidie Plaza.
Supporters said the signs would provide a spark to a downtrodden neighborhood. But opponents said the notion that big, unattractive signs could do what decades of City Hall plans haven’t done is ridiculous.
“We always thought it would be very close,” said David Addington, owner of the Warfield Building, who’s been pushing Prop. D. “Signs are a very divisive and scary issue for San Franciscans. We always knew the more people knew about our measure, the more they would like it.”
Proposition E – to prohibit an increase in general advertising signs on bus shelters, benches and other “street furniture” – was passing.
Read the full article here: S.F. billboard measure split – others passing.
