How do YOU spell Graffiti? (too efs, wontee)

Reading the story "Graffiti Wars" in the Boston Phoenix a few weeks ago reminded me of the graffitti removal initiative Lynn has started under the leadership of Councilor-at-Large Paul Crowley. According to Paul, they have had substantial success wiping out graffiti on main streets and underpasses Swampcott to Commercial street "by getting 32 - 40 hours per week from the DPW and 16 hours per week from the Middleton prisoners who are transitioning out."

Back in October, the council passed an ammendment to a city ordinance which allowed commercial and residential property owners to sign a waiver allowing the city to wipe out graffiti. Before this indemnification waiver, the city was prevented from removing graffiti on private property because of the possibility of being sued for damages resulting from the cleaning.

"All of the parks have been abated," said Crowley. " 85% of the calls coming in have been addressed.  Police have been getting help with specific tagging by gangs which goes far beyond cleanup and actually works to reduce violence between gangs."

Crowley was referring the graffiti hotline (781-477-7099 -- Prompt # 8) set up by the city to expedite requests from residents to remove graffiti. For more, see http://www.ci.lynn.ma.us/. Information is on the city website's homepage.

For FY2010 the city will be establishing a budget for graffiti removal and reorganizing existing resources to more efficiently address abatement.

By the way, the Phoenix article mentioned above is a good story. It chronicles efforts of the MBTA, Salem, and other northshore towns to combat a growing problem. There are good cops, bad cops and stories about the most infamous taggers. Growing up on the south shore, I remember seeing all the graffiti on the way to Boston on the subway. "Sharks" was vividly spray painted in blue with an illustration of triangular teeth in an underpass near North Quincy subway station. As the article mentions, the graffiti is now mostly gone due to a similar initiative in the 80's and 90's on the south shore.