On February 5, 2008 voters approved Proposition A. 139,531 voted yes. Did they know they voted for artificial turf?
It is undisputed by The Park and Recreation Department that the 2008 Clean & Safe Neighborhood Parks Bond calls for 8.5 million dollars to convert our natural grass athletic fields to synthetic turf. They have several colorful brochures which state just that (below). Yet, in the text of Proposition A, the ambiguous term play field "reconstruction" was used with no mention of synthetic or artificial turf. Even voters who read the entire voter information pamphlet were not informed unless they checked Park and Rec's web pages. Whether for or against this controversial material, voters should have known what they were deciding. The omission was deceptive and sheds doubt on the transparency promised in the text of Proposition A. Yes on A propaganda added to the deception with mailers sent to homes that said "resurface" athletic fields without further explanation.
