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 FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2010 2:31 pm |
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Local News 
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When taggers strike in Everett, city picks up the cleanup bill Paying for quick cleanups proves to be an effective strategy against tagging. EVERETT — Graffiti is more than an eyesore.Its presence can increase the number of crimes in an area. Cities, counties and the state spend thousands every year erasing it. They deploy graffiti squads and pass tough measures to encourage property owners to take care of it, including steep fines. In Everett, officials think they’ve hit on an effective way to keep it at bay: When a home is tagged, the city pays to clean it up. Everett just finished a year-long pilot program that encourages people to call a hotline to report graffiti: 425-257-URIT. If the vandalism happens on private property, the city connects the owner with a graffiti removal company, and the city picks up the bill. The program isn’t yet offered to commercial property owners. In Everett, property owners must clean up graffiti. Other cities usually make homeowners pay, which in effect victimizes the victim a second time, city spokeswoman Kate Reardon said. City leaders allotted $60,000 for the pilot project, but it’s turned out to be much less expensive — at least so far. About 161 properties have been cleaned up under the program at an average cost of about $100 each, she said. Compare the $16,164 the city spent on that program to what the average $25,000 it budgets annually to clean up damage and graffiti from its traffic signs, light poles and other traffic controlled structures. Some of that money goes to fix knocked-over signs, but much of it is spent on graffiti removal. “It seems to be working from what I know,” Everett Councilman Paul Roberts said. Roberts said he hadn’t seen an objective evaluation of the program so far. Everett plans to continue paying to clean up tagging. Graffiti, however, is cyclical and the city is still watching the cost of the program closely. “Graffiti is an issue that has to be combated over and over again,” she said. “At some point, we win.” Debra Smith: 425-339-3197, dsmith@heraldnet.com. |
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COMMENTS
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I own four businesses in South County. I go every week to clean up spray paint on one of my buildings. This is not new, it's been going on for a long time now. You can't stop it from happening. The police don't come anymore since domestic violence is the #1 priority. Property crimes don't even register anymore. As a society, we need to bring back the
" Blue Laws" we once had. They had to do with noise and curfews. In old days Seattle 16 and under were not allowed on the streets passed 10PM. 18 year olds util midnight. This made parents resopnsible for their children. We have no responsibility anymore thanks to the ACLU and naturally the parents that say " Oh no, not my kid". Put the laws back and enforce what we used to have and the rest of us might have a fighting chance.
Anthony Ramirez | Nov 28, 2009 7:23 pm | 0 replies | Request removal
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It isn't just city owned items that get tagged. I spend at least an hour of my week driving around the south Everett area removing or painting over grafitti on Verizons connection boxes and equipment.
I strongly agree with the idea of making those convicted of grafitti related offenses not being responsible for cleaning up a large area (several city blocks or even along a major street) but also pay for the paint & equipment needed to deal with it.
If they can't pay for it, then their parents should. Tags are meant to show ownership of an area to others - Only by making remove their tags will they learn that spray paint and selfishness do not bring you respect.
Jeff Craig | Nov 26, 2009 1:27 pm | 0 replies | Request removal
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Our suburban neighborhood has seen its share of "tagging"...the latest being swaztika looking symbols w/ letters. It galls me to no end that the heathens who deface other's property are rarely caught and I hate the idea that owners are constantly forced to clean and repaint over their sickening pics. I think that graffiti and vandalism need to have garner very stiff punishments and perhaps even juvenile detention groups should be required to do clean up...maybe then, some of them might think before doing it themselves or will stop others from doing it. I don't know, but I know society continues to decline as we become too PC and too soft on crime.
CC At the Big B | Nov 26, 2009 9:34 am | 0 replies | Request removal
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