San Antonio taggers...BEWARE!!! (West: HOA, crime, homes)

[firstclassflyer]

Hope the SAPD and BCSD will raise the bar on these taggers:



Taggers beware: Potential jail time and fines for the lowest level graffiti offenses could double under measures being considered by state lawmakers.

Get popped once for writing on a wall and kiss your driver's license goodbye for up to a year. And if it's the third time you've been caught tagging, of any kind, be prepaid to possibly serve some time in state jail — up to two years.

Those are some of the punishments possibly facing graffiti offenders, as Texas lawmakers look this session to get tough with taggers. Under a series of bills aimed at strengthening graffiti laws by boosting criminal penalties and stiffening fines, lawmakers hope to deter some of the illegal activity that costs local governments and taxpayers across the state millions to combat every year.

Texas lawmakers look to get tough with ‘taggers' (http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/Texas_lawmakers_look_to_get_tough_with_taggers.htm l - broken link)

[Tres]

noticed the Wynwood sign had some graffiti on it.

Hopefully they get caught sooner rather than later. Somehow I really don't think more severe consequences will help, I hope I am wrong though.

[gwrober]

Wow - I'm pretty sure I posted in here, but then I am working mids so who knows...

I'm glad to see that the punishments for tagging are getting stiffer. It's not just a simple 'write my name' - tags are used as communication, so hopefully this will put a little dent in the gang business.

Westcreek must have a few in or near - there is always something tagged!

[Save_Burbank]

Westcreek=ghetto

[gwrober]

Originally Posted by Save_Burbank

Westcreek=ghetto

Yup!

<commandingvoice>We're moving as soon as possible.</commandingvoice>

[SilverCreek78250]

Originally Posted by gwrober

Yup!

<commandingvoice>We're moving as soon as possible.</commandingvoice>

Isn't that sad? I've been watching our part of town turn into the slums one can of spray paint at a time. Moving shouldn't have to be the answer. Tagging was one of several reasons we moved away from our old neighborhood, and ten years later, the tagging is now making its way here.

I'm glad they are working to make penalties harder on the taggers, but until it is treated as a real crime each and every time, the taggers will continue to carry-on as though there is nothing that can be done to them.

Here is an idea: If every one of us would take half an hour and go to that social networking site that many teens use (I'm not sure if I am allowed to say My Space on here) and sign-up for an account that does not give your actual identity away, you can search for the tagging symbols you see in your neighborhoods.

It takes a little work to figure out the language or code. Lots of "3" instead of "E" and things like that. San Antonio is often refereed to as "deuce dime", SA-town or 210. So it isn't as easy as searching for "rotten little bastards tagging in Westcreek".

But if you can take the time to just look around a bit, you just may recognize your neighbor's kids or references to the school in your area. And yes, you will find pictures. Take the time to send an e-mail to the City of San Antonio Graffiti Wipe-out people and let them know what is happening in your area. Also, if you can send links to the School Police officer for the school nearest you. They can identify these little punks.

Need help getting started? DM me.

[gwrober]

SC, we should have a M&G just for this reason. Some place with wifi.

[sapphire]

Just how many middle-schoolers have drivers licenses? I think it's great to punish the "rotten little bastards" but how about taking away mama's DL instead? That may get some attention. More than likely, though, we would just have an increase in single moms driving without a license.

It's getting really bad where I live. People put up brand new fences and the next night........ruined. It's a wonder more of them aren't shot dead, at 13.

[Newk]

I like this new policy.

[perticusrex]

When I first moved into my neighborhood I wrote to my councilperson about the insane amount of graffiti that is all over the neighborhood. Its on the commuity mailboxes, the streets, the sidewalks, fences, utility poles and boxes etc. etc... Its disgusting and the worst eyesore...(well besides my neighbor's roosters and chevy on blocks but thats another story) Despite my neighborhood's reputation, there are in fact people who have lived here a long time and take care of their homes and there are also people like us who just moved here but take pride in where they live. The councilman for my district had his assistant call me and he basically told me there wasn't anything they could do about tagging on private property and that included the USPS mailboxes. He said they would send someone to look at the utility stuff and streets to determine if they were SA property and if so it would be cleaned up......6 mos later its all still there. I THINK for some areas that dont have an active HOA and proactive citizens (like mine!) graffiti has just become acceptable and since it appears that the majority of the people living in the areas have accepted it, the "community leaders" dont feel obligated to do anything about it. My councilman is Phillip Cortez and I remember reading some time ago that he was trying to push for stiffer laws regarding tagging, but I have never seen this guy organize any kind of cleanup effort in the area. Im sure it would be a big job, I have no doubt about that given the incredible amount, its not just occasionally here and there - its everywhere, all the time. I think just some kind any kind of indication that Philip Cortez or any councilperson for that matter, actually cares and SHOWS that they care would be a step in the right direction. Dont they live in our communities too? Just SAYING you want stiffer penalities doesnt do squat for the crap written all over the fence. Someone else mentioned that it isnt just about writing your name on a wall anymore, and thats absolutely correct. Im sure the city council knows this and knows its an indication of something else, so why arent they REALLY doing anything about it???