Letter writer: Rewards for photos might put dent in graffiti

Graphic by Lori Deaton

In response to your Xpress Molton cartoon of issue May 6-12, I have been following what the city of Asheville has been doing about graffiti in town and how they are trying to deal with it.

Throwing money at it to stop it does not seem to be working, but instead, why not offer rewards for anyone that can provide a picture of anyone doing graffiti? I look at some of it and say that it must have taken hours to paint, and someone must have seen it being done, and I’m sure that the artist has taken a selfie to prove and take credit for doing it.

I know this will work: I am one of the artists who built “Shopping Daze” on Haywood Street, and one night there were vandals defacing that sculpture. When a few customers at The Bier Garden across the street saw what was happening, [they] took pictures and called the police (thank you very much, Bier Garden customers). Police showed up, and the vandals were arrested and had to pay me to repair Shopping Daze.

If the city offered rewards, and the graffiti artist were to be arrested, they would have to pay to have the graffiti removed, and how long would it take for some of those selfies to make their way to police headquarters?

Just an idea and thought, and [I] am tired of seeing our town being defaced.

— Dan Howachyn
Black Mountain

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6 thoughts on “Letter writer: Rewards for photos might put dent in graffiti

  1. Jim

    If you’re from Black Mountain, then why do you say Asheville is “our” town? How can you even contribute to the conversation, especially with the mention of rewards, when your property taxes aren’t at stake? I guess that’s why it’s easy for you to talk about money but just like another broken record, IT’S OTHER PEOPLE’S MONEY.

    • Edgar

      Jim: assuming you are inside the city limits, what are your ideas to curb the problem?

      • Jim

        And yes, I live in the city. am double taxed out the wazoo and don’t see jack except the elite profiting. And I sure as hell ain’t getting nothing from the county.

  2. Jim

    You can’t curb it. Unless the owners of these properties place security cams or hire security to oversee it, it’s not going to make a difference. Most of the graffiti is GANG RELATED. Have you read any of it? It’s territorial marking. It’s not some artists just being bored but gangs.

    • ashevillain7

      If you think Asheville’s graffiti is gang-related then you’ve never seen gang-related graffiti.

      • AVLSnowTroll

        Some of it is. But most of it is just an individual’s tagging. Chances are you’re just walking around in the neighborhoods where there isn’t much of it.
        Try someplace like Lee Walker Heights. There used to be a nice huge gang tag on the entry sign to the complex. Kind of gives you a cold “don’t want to be here”-feel. Don’t know if it’s still there because… I haven’t gone back!

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