Published: July 05, 2008 08:54 pm         

Graffiti

City must tackle the issue

Anyone still looking for evidence that the city council ought to pass a graffiti ordinance need do no more than take a look at recent police reports.

Within hours of each other, residents reported graffiti painted on the walls of two homes in the 300 block of Wilkinson. That same day, two others reported graffiti painted on two garage doors in the 700 block of Miami Avenue.

On another recent day, police received a report of graffiti painted on a trash bin in the 400 block of 10th Street. On yet another, they received a report of graffiti on a garage in the 700 block of Helm Street.

The list goes on and on.

It’s time, past time really, that the city council passed an ordinance requiring stores that sell spray paint to keep it under lock and key.

It’ll be a pain, certainly, for those of us who need to buy a can of spray paint for some project around the house, but the pain of this continued vandalism will be far greater.

The city should also consider stiffer penalties for those who carry out these acts of mischief.

The idea here is for Logansport officials to send a message that they will not tolerate the senseless damage that has been plaguing the city.

There is no question that solving this city’s graffiti problem will take more than big fines and a law governing the sale of spray paint.

In the end, the key to this effort will be catching a few of these vandals in the act.

You can do your part by reporting graffiti when you spot it and by pledging to wipe it out before the vandals have a chance to admire their handiwork. Study after study has indicated that the quicker communities act to eliminate graffiti, the less likely it is to come back.

The city should consider providing kits to help businesses and individuals whose properties have been hit with graffiti. It should also look at installing lighting in dark areas that are often targeted by vandals.

Greg Grostefon, the new principal at Columbia Middle School, has pledged to tackle the gang graffiti problem in his school head on. He plans to attend an upcoming training session and to share what he finds out with the community.

Other schools should be prepared to join Grostefon in this fight.

Vandalism is a scourge on this community, and it must be stamped out. The culprits need to be caught and they need to spend a few weekends helping to beautify the community they have so carelessly defaced.

We can win this fight, but it will take determination. Let’s roll up our sleeves and get started.