The City of Amarillo Wants To Say Goodbye To Graffiti For Good

There are two sides to every story, especially when it comes to the story of graffiti.  Some say its art and other an eye sore.  Well Amarillo could be passing an ordinance to get rid of all graffiti, art or not.

Graffiti has been around a long, long time.  Some people say its a form of expression and others say its vandalism.  Well whatever side you are on, thanks to Amarillo city commissioners you could be saying goodbye to graffiti for good.

Amarillo's Anti-Graffiti Committee presented Amarillo commissioners with a recommended ordinance for the city's graffiti problem.  With the ordinance in place, the City of Amarillo would come out and clean up graffiti free of charge.  However, the property owners could refuse the help and clean up the graffiti themselves.  But there is a catch, if the property owners do not clean it up within 15 days, the city will be able to legally come on to your property and remove it.

Of course, there are people in town who totally disagree with this ordinance.  For example, Attorney Jeff Blackburn.  He thinks it is a 'terrible idea.'

Blackburn has a person reason for disliking this ordinance.  For the past 10 years, he has invited the public to come and express themselves with spray paint and other decorations on one of his office walls.  He feels that not all graffiti is trash.

While Blackburn wants and encourages the graffiti, other businesses do not.  That is where the problem lies.

Personally, I think that some of the people who paint this graffiti are very talented, but I don't want them to do it on my fence.  At the same time, I don't think that the city should come on to your property and clean it off if you do not want them to.

So what is going to happen.  Well on Tuesday, the commissioners voted 5-0 in favor of the ordinance.  There will be one more final vote next week.  According to Amarillo Mayor Paul Harpole, it looks like the ordinance will be passed.

What do you think?  Should the ordinance to get rid of graffiti be passed?