Editorial

Graffiti vandals are not artists; they are criminals and just plain slobs. There is no beauty to their work. It shows no talent, only the ability to spoil the property of others by leaving their stupid "tags" behind.

On Oct. 7, NYPD Transit Bureau detectives arrested 20- year-old Matthew Young of Glendale, who allegedly scrawled his tag on public and private properties over the last several months.

According to police, Young had been arrested on nine other occasions since 2004 for allegedly painting graffiti at locations within the confines of the 104th Precinct.

Obviously, those arrests didn't deter him at all.

How about making him pay in dollars and cents for the damage he allegedly has done?

For years, the Greater Ridgewood Restoration Corporation has campaigned against graffiti and removed it from buildings. But most of the sites with Young's tag reportedly showed it on the second stories.

Since a bucket truck would be needed for removal, a reputable local contractor was asked to submit written bids to clean 11 properties, plus the Long Island Rail Road trestle at Myrtle Avenue and Fresh Pond Road.

His estimate was $6,500 for the Ridgewood and Glendale properties plus $3,500 to clean the train trestle that was vandalized—adding up to a total of $10,000.

The GRRC has written to Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown asking that this information be presented to the judge hearing the case and that upon conviction, the judge order restitution for the cleanup.

For all the money and effort it takes to remove graffiti, there's no minimizing what it does to a community. One does not have to be the owner of a defaced building to be a victim. Every person who lives or works in a neighborhood marred by graffiti pays a price, simply by having to suffer the sight of it.

We think it's about time that the vandals do some paying as well—in a way that might make them think about the consequences of their actions.

We ask our readers—and fellow victims of graffiti—to support the Greater Ridgewood Restoration Corporation's idea to impose restitution. Fill out this form and send it to District Attorney Richard A. Brown, 125-01 Queens Blvd., Kew Gardens, N.Y. 11415. Dear District Attorney Brown:

I am appalled by the vandalism allegedly caused by defendant Matthew Young and support the Greater Ridgewood Restoration Corporation in urging you to pursue restitution by him, if convicted, for the full cost of removing the graffiti. Name ......................................................................... Address .................................................................... .................................................................................... ....................................................................................