On graffiti: City must live up to its own rules


For the city’s new anti-graffiti ordinance to be fully effective, a few things need to happen.

First, the city has to live up to its own rules and promptly remove graffiti from city property. A property owner is required under the law to remove graffiti within 15 days after receiving a notice from the city.

Second, the city must find the wisdom of Solomon in deciding when to grant the waivers and extensions that are possible with payment of a $50 fee.

And the last thing that would make the ordinance truly workable is a vigorous volunteer effort to help property owners, such as elderly residents living on Social Security, who find themselves hit with a cleanup bill.

Neighborhood leaders and city officials say more graffiti has been reported in recent months. This summer, a swastika was painted on a baseball dugout at Woods Park. Racial graffiti has been left elsewhere in the city. Since Sept. 1, 2005, park employees have removed more than 100 examples of graffiti.

Civic leaders believe that when graffiti is tolerated, it sends a message that the community doesn’t care.

In Grand Island, a graffiti abatement ordinance was credited for helping to cut down on gang activity, according to a police investigator. Jim Duering said, “It’s the broken window theory. If you leave it, it will cause problems. One gang’s graffiti might get crossed out by another and then there are problems. But if it’s cleaned up, it takes away their advertising. We’re trying to be proactive.”

The premise of the “broken window theory” is that a shattered window left unfixed is a sign that no one cares. When no one cares, social restraints are loosed. Why not break another window? Why not break a car window? Why not steal the car?

The ordinance makes graffiti a misdemeanor with a mandatory minimum fine of $200 for the first offense, $250 for the second offense and $300 for three more convictions. The maximum penalty is a $500 fine and six months in jail.

There’s some truth in the observation that by requiring property owners to remove graffiti they are being victimized twice.

That’s why its important that the ordinance have the flexibility that can be granted by the Graffiti Appeals Board, and that volunteer help be available for property owners for whom graffiti removal is truly burdensome. Volunteer Partners is coordinating a network of volunteers to provide that help.

And now that the city council has put the law on the books, there shouldn’t be repeats of the graffiti on the city-owned property at 48th and O streets — one of the busiest intersections of the city — that stayed up for weeks and perhaps months.