Anti-Tagging Efforts Keyed to Paint Sales

Graffiti in some venues may be drawing increased attention as an art form, but illegal tagging remains an expensive problem that shows little sign of abating.

Caltrans is spending $1 million a year just in Los Angeles and Ventura counties to clean up graffiti along state highways and freeways.

San Fernando, a city of 24,000 surrounded by Los Angeles in the San Fernando Valley, has found a partial solution in an ordinance compelling stores selling spray-paints to lock up the displays so that customers have to ask a clerk to obtain a can.

Since the ordinance went into effect two years ago, tagging has decreased by more than one-third, said San Fernando code enforcement officer Rick Barrow.

A year ago, Los Angeles followed suit with a similar ordinance, prompting a legal challenge from paint manufacturers and vendors.

Earlier this year, a state appeals court ruled that the Los Angeles ordinance was preempted by a state statute that bans the sale of spray-paints to persons under 18 and requires sellers to post warnings that vandalism is a crime. The state law, however, does not require stores to lock up their spray-paints.

Deputy City Atty. Henry Morris said last week that the city would appeal the ruling to the state Supreme Court.

Craig Walker, spokesman for Standard Brands paint stores, said that requiring his company’s stores to lock up their spray-paints would cost more than $20,000 a year in extra personnel and security measures in Los Angeles alone. He said he did not think the expense would result in a decrease in graffiti.

“Most aerosols (spray-paints) are purchased,” he said. “And we’ve seen no change in communities based on whether the spray-paints remain locked or unlocked.”

George Ibarra, watch commander for the Los Angeles Police Department’s Pacific Division, disagreed. He said that if the ordinance becomes enforceable, it would make a major difference in his area.

Santa Monica has no ordinance requiring stores to lock up spray-paints.