Fearing that a November state vote to expand homestead exemptions will drain local taxes, Miami-Dade has put on the same ballot a vote to allow advertising in county-owned parks to raise money for the parks department. How much advertising of what types would be allowed and in what media won’t be specified on the ballot. If voters allow parks advertising, commissioners said, they will fill in the blanks later. It took a two-thirds vote to get advertising onto the ballot as a charter amendment and it barely passed, 8-4. A majority vote in November would seal the change in the county charter, the local version of a constitution. Today the county prohibits billboards and outdoor advertising in its public parks. Promotional opportunities are limited to park corporate sponsorships, approved program partnerships or authorized vendor operations. The charter vote could open those parks to anything from digital advertising to banners on fences. Commissioners discussed keeping all details open for future decisions, but some were dubious that voters would accept park advertising without firm guardrails in advance. “I think that people will vote against it if [banner advertising] is not clarified because so many people hate the banners around the schools. I think when they see parks and advertising, that’s going to come up,” said Commissioner Raquel Regalado. “I certainly want to omit 1,000 banners on the fence,” said Chairman Anthony Rodriguez, who introduced the vote seeking the charter amendment on parks advertising, but he didn’t want to put limits in the measure and tie hands for potential income for the parks. “I think we need to proceed with caution and establish clear guardrails before we move forward,” said Micky Steinberg, who along with Commissioners Regalado, Kionne McGhee and René García voted against the measure. Commissioner Keon Hardemon was absent. “We need to think beyond today’s intentions and ask what does policy look like in 10 years, 15 years,” Ms. Steinberg said. “I don’t want to see any unintended consequences in this.” Vicki Lopez, whose commission district includes downtown Miami where battles over huge digital billboards generated loud protests, warned “you just have to see that at night with the lights. You’ll have the same problem I had in my district.” Mr. Rodriguez said what he had in mind in seeking digital advertising in parks was not towering billboards but small digital kiosks where parkgoers could charge batteries, see maps and learn about nearby restaurants. “The idea is to have digital signs and not to have the banners that do make it at times ugly throughout the park,” he said. “A lot of the concerns brought up are something that will be discussed as a matter of policy of this board should this pass by the voters,” he said. Christina White, county director of Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces, called herself “a purist” but asked commissioners not to box themselves in with the details of advertising until voters approve a charter change to allow it. Mayor Daniella Levine Cava agreed. Hearing the objections by commissioners, including from some who sought the charter vote, Mr. Rodriguez acknowledged the difficulties at the ballot box. “If it doesn’t pass and the voters don’t see the benefit of private revenue to offset a shortfall of taxpayer dollars, we can only take the horse to the lake,” he said. “If they don’t want to drink the water, we can’t force them to.” The post Voters asked to OK advertising in Miami-Dade County parks appeared first on Miami Today. ...read more read less