Graffiti Blasters
Graffiti Blasters is a program to eliminate graffiti, street art and gang-related vandalism in Chicago, Illinois. The program is structured as a privately owned business based in the city government. It uses soluble abrasivesJoe Harrington, Industrial Cleaning Technology, Springer, 2001, p275. {{ISBN|0-7923-6748-0}} (baking soda combined with high pressure water)Wesley G. Skogan, Susan M. Hartnett, Community Policing, Chicago Style, Oxford University Press US, 2000, p169. {{ISBN|0-19-513633-0}} and paints matching the city's official color scheme to erase all varieties of graffiti.
History
Mayor Richard M. Daley started the initiative in 1993. Since then it has run at a cost of about $4 million a year,Kim Ketover, [http://chicago.timeout.com/articles/out-there/16216/urban-scrawl Urban scrawl], Timeout Chicago, Issue 71, Jul 6-12, 2006. rising to $7.8 million in 2008 Steve Rhodes, [http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Graffiti-Budget-Blasted.html Graffiti Budget Blasted], NBC Chicago News, Nov 18, 2008. and $9 million in 2010 Mark J. Konkel, [http://www.suntimes.com/news/watchdogs/2172776,CST-NWS-watchdogs19.article Graffiti Blasters slowed by budget woes in Wicker Park] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100422205608/http://www.suntimes.com/news/watchdogs/2172776,CST-NWS-watchdogs19.article |date=2010-04-22 }}, Chicago Sun-Times, April 19, 2010. The scheme promises free cleanup within 24 hours of a phone call to 3-1-1. Prior to the program's inception, the city considered itself responsible for removing graffiti if it was on city property, but private property owners had to shoulder the cleanup costs for graffiti on their own property.
In May 2009, on the instructions of Alderman Jim Balcer, Graffiti Blasters painted over a commissioned mural by artist Gabriel Villa on private property without the permission of the artist or property owner. A spokesman with the ACLU of Illinois said Balcer acted illegally, saying "He was elected to be an alderman. He was not elected to be the art critic of the ward."
Gallery
File:Graffiti Blasters Brown.jpg|Graffiti covered by the Graffiti Blasters' typical brown paint.
File:Support Daley Graffiti Blasters.jpg|An ironic example of Chicago sticker graffiti condemning the Graffiti Blasters and Mayor Daley
File:Woodblock Graffiti covered by the Graffiti Blasters.jpg|An image of woodblock graffiti that had been painted over by the Chicago Graffiti Blasters and then covered with sticker art.
See also
References
{{Reflist|2}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20071214111756/http://egov.cityofchicago.org/city/webportal/portalContentItemAction.do?contentOID=536909830&contenTypeName=COC_EDITORIAL&topChannelName=Residents Graffiti Blasters] at the City of Chicago
{{Chicago}}