COUNTY COMMISSIONER’S APPROVE FUNDING FOR ANTI-GRAFFITI PROGRAM
Funds will allow the Probation Dept. to expand clean-up activities in remote areas of the El Paso County El Paso County Attorney José R. Rodriguez announced today that Commissioner’s Court has approved funding to expand graffiti clean-up efforts in the outlying areas of the County. During a special budget meeting held on Tuesday September 23, 2008, Commissioner’s Court approved $83,000 for the “Graffiti Wipeout” Program managed by the West Texas Community Supervision and Corrections Department (Adult Probation). The funds will pay the salary of a new field manager, and include $34,000 for the purchase of a new truck. The “Graffiti Wipeout” Program operates under a very efficient, cost-effective system in which probationers perform the bulk of the work without compensation to meet their community service hours. During Fiscal Year 2007-2008 the “Graffiti Wipe-Out” Program has cleaned more than 4,600 sites throughout the El Paso County. Restoring the County’s funding of the program was one of the main goals identified by the Anti-Graffiti Task Force in its report issued on June 21, 2008. The report is the blueprint for a new anti-graffiti initiative and contains more than 20 concrete proposals that can be implemented to reduce the incidence of graffiti in our neighborhoods, among them: · Amend state law to enhance punishment for repeat offenders.· Developing a first offender program for juveniles who commit graffiti.· Propose city ordinance requiring property owners to consent to graffiti clean-up or else pay a fine and costs of clean up.· Adopt ordinances to require business to lock up or place spray paint behind a counter. · Implementation of a Graffiti Public Information Campaign.· Promote “Campus Crime Stoppers” at all local schools. El Paso County Attorney José R. Rodríguez, Chairman of the Anti-Graffiti Task Force said getting funding from Commissioner’s Court for the program is very important because it is very cost-effective. “Ten years ago we had the same effort and the County began to fund the “Graffiti Wipe-Out” program. They were so successful in eradicating graffiti that, in 2004, the County cut its funding because anti-graffiti efforts were not considered a priority. As a result, the presence of graffiti has been increasing dramatically in the last few years,” Rodriguez explained. Rodríguez also explained that the Anti-Graffiti Task Force will continue to work on implementing all of the recommendations included in the report.. # # #
Graffiti Funding Press Release.pdf