Graffiti - clean it up or it'll cost

YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC ^ | February 16, 2005 | Lia Steakley

[mdittmar]

Punish the property owner,not the "tagger".

I live in Yakima,the city council has done squat to arrest and prosecute vandals.(I knew when they started calling them "taggers" instead of vandals there was a problem.)

Graffiti is all over this town and they go after the victims.

[Horatio Gates]

Already happening in Tacoma

[Hexenhammer]

Nothing like punishing the victim to solve the problem.

Maybe the city would be better seved by forcing those convicted of graffiti and vandalism to work in groups to clean up the mess instead of forcing the business to pay.

[Logical me]

All the victim has to do is do what the city ask:

"anyone who ignores notices to clean up graffiti and doesn't allow the city's free paint-out program crew to cover the tagging will be charged $400."

Doesn't seem too bad to me. What does get to me is going easy on taggers.

[glorgau]

Define grafitti. One man's art is another's grafitti. It will never make it through the courts.

[mdittmar]

Maybe it's more personal for me,I was born here.

In 43 years I've seen this town go downhill,illegals coming in,gangs starting up,nice neighborhoods gone to hell.

It's out of control in some areas,areas where I used to walk with my dad on his mailmans' route,nice middle class neighborhoods,are now full of boarded up houses,and Mexican gangs.

Our downtown are is pretty much dead,use to cruise "The Ave." when I was 16,crusing was banned years ago because of gang violence,it's a damn shame.

[So Cal Rocket]

In related news, the Yakima City Council passed a law requiring that assualt victims cover up their black eyes with an eye patch or they will be fined $400.

[LauraleeBraswell]

crusing?

[mdittmar]

Sure crusing,I use to crus listening to this;)

[PAR35]

"Do something to help us as property owners. Don't punish us,"

Fixing the problem for free counts for doing something for the property owner in my book. The only ones who will get fined are the ones who actively block graffiti removal.

[PAR35]

Define grafitti.

Putting paint on a wall or other object that doesn't belong to you and for which you have no permission to apply paint.

I wouldn't really have much problem with a law that permitted property owners to shoot taggers caught in the act at night.

[FoxInSocks]

Define grafitti. One man's art is another's grafitti.

graffiti: writing or drawings scribbled, scratched, or sprayed illicitly on a wall or other surface in a public place.

Perhaps the objection to graffiti derives from vandals defacing someone else's personal property to display their "art." If I want to make a pretty light display, I shouldn't be allowed to set somebody's house on fire.

[mdittmar]

Arresting and prosecuting those who do it is what needs to be done.

[mdittmar]

Arresting and prosecuting those who do it is what needs to be done.

[PAR35]

Arresting and prosecuting those who do it is what needs to be done.

I fully agree with that. I'd have more sympathy for those opposing the city if the city was not offering the free service. They aren't fining folks for not cleaning up, they are fining folks who refuse to allow the property to be cleaned up.

[flada]

In certain countries they have similar laws to punish rape victims.

[LauraleeBraswell]

oh cruising.... what we nowadays would call "Driving A-round."

[mdittmar]

The other great idea they had a few years ago was to tell all business owners that sold spray paint that the business owners had to keep the spray paint locked up so "kids" couldn't get to it.

That one didn't fly,it's not kids doing the vandalism it's gangs.

The one I see most is ESV,East Side Vatos.

[mdittmar]

Well,we just drove up and down "The Ave",ahh,the good ole' days.

[mdittmar]

It's just out of control,the inmates are running the asylum.

P.S.,PAR35?,If I played a 7 hole course maybe.