EDITORIAL: A bad sign

‘ ‘ ‘ Despite a zoning battle over a large digital billboard on the side of the new Grant… ‘ ‘ ‘ Despite a zoning battle over a large digital billboard on the side of the new Grant Street Transportation Center, Pittsburgh officials are considering a deal to place, among other things, 15 new digital billboards on city property as part of a plan to raise money for the city through private advertising. ‘ ‘ ‘ The plan would call for the placement of a network of electronic signs throughout Downtown. Companies would share ad time and revenue with the city and, with other elements in place, the deal could bring in nearly $4 million a year by 2011. Without the billboards the projected revenues drop to $1.6 million. ‘ ‘ ‘ But would it really be worth $4 million to put up large flashing electronic signs all over Downtown? Pittsburgh’s Downtown area isn’t very big, after all ‘mdash; less than one square mile. Placing that many signs in a space that small would be overkill, specifically because Downtown is mostly a business center and not a major shopping or tourist destination. ‘ ‘ ‘ According to City Council documents, Pittsburgh’s 2007 budget was more than $430 million, which is about 107 times the amount we would get from the advertising deal. According to projected budgets, $4 million would be enough to make up for 2011’s projected budget deficit, but it seems like there should be better ways of raising the money than filling Downtown with electronic advertisements. ‘ ‘ ‘ Let’s be honest: Pittsburgh is not New York, and the Times Square philosophy of advertising doesn’t apply here. Bigger and brighter doesn’t necessarily mean better, especially when the city is not a major hub of advertising and popular culture. Millions of people won’t be seeing these signs every day, and they’re definitely not going to make Downtown look any nicer. So why bother? ‘ ‘ ‘ Other cities and states apparently feel the same way. Akron, Ohio, recently placed a 120-day moratorium on all billboard contracts within the city after complaints from residents about the city becoming oversaturated. The states of Maine, Vermont, Alaska and Hawaii all have bans on billboard advertising. And, Sao Paulo, Brazil, banned all outdoor advertising in 2007. ‘ ‘ ‘ There are other aspects of the Pittsburgh advertising plan as well, such as ads in elevators, on city vehicles and in public rest rooms. Bill Peduto, City Council finance chairman and a member of the panel weighing the package, wants to have the plan finalized and in front of City Council before next month, and he even wants to include projected revenues in 2009’s city budget. ‘ ‘ ‘ But the project is simply inappropriate for Pittsburgh, and it’s just too big an eyesore. ‘ ‘ ‘ One of Pittsburgh’s most cherished and promoted aspects is the view of Downtown from Mt. Washington. USA Today even named the view one of the top 10 most beautiful places in America in 2003. ‘ ‘ ‘ That seems like something that we wouldn’t want to spoil, especially with something as tacky as digital billboards. After all, isn’t being one of America’s most beautiful places worth $4 million?