San Bernardino brainstorming to rub out graffiti for good

10:00 PM PDT on Monday, June 18, 2007

By CHRIS RICHARD
The Press-Enterprise

San Bernardino City Council members on Monday launched a review of the city's abatement efforts, with proposals ranging from rewards for information on vandals' identities to trying to dissuade tagging by putting up murals.

"It's gotten really bad," Councilman Rikke Van Johnson said of the increase in graffiti. "I have people tell me that the day after one of our crews takes care of a problem, it's back up again in the very same place."

From the start of July through the end of May, Los Padrinos Youth Services workers removed about 2.2 million square feet of graffiti citywide. That's a 15 percent increase over the total for the 2005-06 fiscal year, said Glenn Baude, the city's code enforcement director.

He said the number of locations targeted by vandals also has increased.

"Everything's up, in every category, and we still have another month to go," Baude said.

In response, council members voted Monday to renew Los Padrinos' $588,000 annual contract, but on a month-to-month basis while an ad hoc council committee considers additional measures.

Councilman Tobin Brinker said he supports Los Padrinos, but wants to make sure that all of the city's actions -- including abatement efforts by the Police and Code Enforcement departments -- are coordinated.

The committee will submit its recommendations in 90 days.

Councilwoman Esther Estrada asked whether it might be time to give the public an incentive to help out.

"Is it time to think about rewards ... (and) give people money for telling us what they see out there?" she asked.

Councilman Chas Kelley said there may be other ways to deter the vandals. He displayed conceptual drawings for a pair of murals to go at key freeway locations. One, for the Palm-Kendall exit from Interstate 215, features action shots of soccer players and baseball players. Another, for near University Parkway, features a scene of Cal State San Bernardino.