Graffiti artists in San Francisco should no doubt think twice before making their mark on others’ property.
Last week, City Attorney Dennis Herrera announced a civil judgement won against one of the city’s most notorious taggers. The total? An impressive $217,831.64—about the equivalent of some 30,000 cans of spray paint.
The bill could go even higher if the delinquent doesn’t pay it on time. After this year, annual interest charges of 10% will begin to accrue, the city attorney said.
Herrera credited a collaborative effort between the Department of Public Works, San Francisco Police, Municipal Transportation Agency and Board of Supervisors President London Breed. In March 2014, Breed introduced legislation that overhauled the city's tagging policies, paving the way for these civil damages.
“The city spends upwards of $20 million a year on graffiti cleanup,” Herrera said. “That’s unconscionable. Let the taggers foot the bill for their mischief.”
Read more about the recent judgement here.
Image Credit: Flickr User simoncarr, https://flic.kr/p/93VXbP via (CC BY-SA 2.0)