Graffiti--Art or Blight?

Although the egocentric scrawling of taggers and graffiti “artists” are one of the major contributing factors to the malaise of Los Angeles, part of the responsibility for this pestilence rests with the owners of private, business and corporate structures in our city. A mere $5 can of paint effectively obliterates the vandalism of a tagger with more than enough paint left over to take care of a repetition of the attack. (After the first few attempts the lack of a canvas for their personal calling card discourages their efforts.) If the city could be induced to fine the owners of any structure $100 for any graffiti left on a building for more than a week, it would go a long way toward ending the destructive effects of tagging.

MEL STUART

Los Angeles