BILLBOARD ISSUE SIGNALS BALLOT BATTLE

You won't find anything good about Proposition A on Missouri's billboards.

The billboard industry is fighting the November ballot issue with the very thing the initiative petition measure wants to restrict -- billboards.

Signs against Proposition A recently went up on billboards around the state. The billboard industry is campaigning against the measure. Billboard companies have donated sign space to get out their message.

Mark Rhoads is campaign manager for the Citizens Against Tax Waste Committee, a group formed to oppose the measure. The group actually started a few years ago under another name to combat an anti-billboard effort.

Rhoads said his group is putting up several hundred anti-Proposition A billboards around the state.

Proponents of Proposition A don't have any billboards touting their view. Julius Zomper is campaign manager for the Save Our Scenery 2000 organization, the group pushing for passage of Proposition A.

Zomper said the group hasn't tried to buy any billboard space, but doesn't expect billboard companies would sell space for signs supporting Proposition A.

"I wouldn't buy billboards anyway," he said. "It is a fairly ineffective way to communicate a complex message."

Zomper believes the "vote no" billboards might actually help his cause by getting motorists to take note of all those billboards cluttering the landscape.

The ballot measure would ban construction of most new billboards and further restrict existing billboards along federal highways in Missouri.

It would prohibit the replacement and relocation of existing billboards. It would increase the authority of any city, county or local zoning authority to regulate outdoor advertising. It also would prohibit the removal of trees and vegetation on public rights of way, except for aesthetic, environmental or safety reasons.

The Save Our Scenery group wants to prevent billboard companies from cutting down trees on public highway rights of way. Billboard companies do that to improve sign visibility.

A simple majority is needed for passage.

Both sides expect to spend big bucks battling over the issue.

Rhoads won't say how much Proposition A opponents plan to spend, but says it won't be as much as $5 million.

Zomper figures Proposition A opponents will spend about $2.5 million. "We are not going to spend as much," he said.

Zomper said the Save Our Scenery group will spend more than $1 million in support of the measure, much of it in television advertising.

Both sides plan to do a lot of advertising.

Both campaign organizations also have computer Web sites where they tout their views.

Rhoads and other Proposition A opponents are telling voters to "read the fine print."

The message is even a part of the campaign organization's Internet address.

But the two sides disagree over the "fine print" and just what would happen if voters approve the ballot measure.

Opponents say it would require removal of up to 3,500 existing billboards that don't comply with current regulations. That would include billboards that were larger than 800 square feet in size or spaced closer than 500 feet.

It would cost taxpayers between $500 million and $600 million in compensation to landowners and sign companies for removal of the signs, Proposition A opponents say.

But proponents say that isn't true. They say the measure won't force the removal of any existing billboards but would prevent the erection of new ones on federal highways in the state such as Interstate 55 and U.S. 61.

Rhoads said many businesses rely on billboards to reach the traveling public.

A study by Villanova University marketing expert Dr. Charles Taylor estimates fewer billboards would affect businesses that advertise on them. Those businesses, particularly the travel and tourism firms, would see a nearly 20 percent drop in revenue, the study said.

But Zomper questioned the validity of the study. Zomper and other Proposition A supporters insist the measure won't hurt "mom and pop" stores that advertise their businesses on billboards.

Missouri has nearly three times as many billboards per mile as its eight neighboring states, Proposition A backers say.

There are an estimated 13,500 billboards along major highways in Missouri.

"None would come down right away," Zomper said. "We are not banning them completely."

Pros and cons

Proposition A Web sites

Pro: www.saveourscenery2000.org

Con: www.readthefineprint.org