San Diego, CALIF.- The transition of funding from Mission Bay Park to San Diego's other regional parks could mean more efficient capital improvements for the city's parks.
If Measure J passes, it would act as the extension of an earlier ballot measure, amending the charter by increasing financial support to the City's Regional Parks Improvement Fund. The funding comes from Mission Bay Park lease revenue exceeding $20 million and would go up from 25% to 35%.
Simply put, the fiscal impact of this measure would consist of a shift in lease revenues from the Mission Bay Park Improvement Fund to the City's Regional Parks Improvement Fund. Under the context of this measure, Mission Bay Park would still receive 65% of lease revenues.
Essentially, supporters say this will mean more money for regional park improvements in general, rather than to Mission Bay exclusively.
However, controversy stems from the section of the measure that delineates contiguous land parcels be added to Mission Bay Regional Park. Some are concerned that this addition of land could possibly be used as a loophole in the allowance of only 25% of the park to be developed. Opponents say increasing the size of the park could in turn, increase commercialization of the area, including the construction of a new hotel.
Supporters say Yes on Measure J means extending the timeline of the restricted use of lease revenue over $20 million in Mission Bay from 2039 to 2069.