Mad Vistan wrote on Jan 31, 2008 1:28 AM:Oh great! When the Sprinter was first pitched to the public, landscaping and security patrols were promised. The Sprinter went over budget so the first cuts are landscaping and security patrols. The city was warned about the graffitti problem in letters to the editors, councilmen and the Mayor. The citys solution? Give the homeowners paint and threaten to cite them if they don't keep the corridor graffitti free.
Thats a heck of a lot cheaper than bike patrols and landscaping and the city may even pick up some extra revenue from the citations. Unbelievable!

Concerned wrote on Jan 31, 2008 1:33 AM:The solution to the graffitti problem is to get the Sheriffs from the River Village substation to conduct bicycle patrols several times a day; or put cameras along the route.

Hit them where it hurts wrote on Jan 31, 2008 4:22 AM:It is very simple. Catch the taggers in the act (not that hard). Convict them, make them and their parents pay for the damage. ...

Bill wrote on Jan 31, 2008 4:44 AM:Clean it and they will come back

Vista Watchdog wrote on Jan 31, 2008 5:36 AM:1. There will be very few people to see all this graffiti, as very few people will actually ride the Sprinter.
2. It is not the Graffiti that Vista should be worrying about where the Sprinter is concerned, it is the huge increase in traffic delays at the many crossings (especially Vista Way and Santa Fe). This added traffic delay in these areas will have a significant impact on business in the area. I for one will do all I can to avoid Down Town Vista, as I've already been delayed for as much as 20 minutes because of the Stupid Sprinter!
3. If as your State of the City Address claimed, Crime has been decreased in Vista, and will continue to drop due to an aggressive program to reduce crime, then why all the graffiti??? I thought crime was under control.

Vistan wrote on Jan 31, 2008 5:57 AM:So the city lets the county build a rail line that nobody wants! And then the low life taggers come out and do their low life work on people's private property because the city let the county build that same unwanted rail line! Now, the city is threatening citations against people who had no say in any of this in the first place! Question who is more low life, the taggers for doing their low life work or the city for making their victims the criminals by giving them citations!

fine the parents wrote on Jan 31, 2008 6:09 AM:The city should deport all taggars and give a healthy fine to the parent(s). ...

dave from oceanside wrote on Jan 31, 2008 6:17 AM:Sure, push the problem of maintaining the walls and fences onto the helpless owner of the business or home owner under threat of a citation.
They are in-between a rock and a hard place.
Clean up the walls and fences and risk getting shot at by the punk gang bangers, or get fined by the city for not cleaning up the mess.
You business owners and land owners need to organize and sue the city for ...

Vista Resident wrote on Jan 31, 2008 6:32 AM:How about installing cameras in "hotspots" that can be monitored; thus allowing the crime to be reported as it is occuring. Or, better yet, install infrared sensors that immediately notify of activity where people typically do not assemble. It's time to start prosecuting these people who continue to deface property.

No happy Vistan wrote on Jan 31, 2008 7:39 AM:Well lets see homeowners along the Sprinter route have to deal with the noise, traffic and now if some little brat graffiti's on their fence they will have to paint it or get a fine. Assistant City Manager Patrick Johnson says "lets hope it does not get to that point". What you have got to be kidding!! Why is it that Vista City officials always want to put the cost of these vandals on us. We already pay higher taxes, geez what's next. Perhaps they should all take a wage decrease and use all that extra money to install cameras to catch these little brats in action and have their parents pay for the damage. What is the penalty for this type of vandalism? I don't think fine the parents comment is helpful. What makes him/her think that the taggers can be deported. Once again attempting to criminalize the Latino community. When will you all see that this will not help.

RichardM wrote on Jan 31, 2008 8:12 AM:We need roaming gangs of vigilantes to paint the taggers.

Mike wrote on Jan 31, 2008 8:12 AM:Plant ivy.

Caning wrote on Jan 31, 2008 8:25 AM:Do like they do in Singapore. When these vandals are caught, have them drop their drawers and bend over on the courthouse step and give them a few whacks with a strong piece of bamboo that they shall not soon forget.

WE NEED wrote on Jan 31, 2008 8:30 AM:martial law with deportations conducted by the military. Lets get to the root of all this, once and for all.

Derek wrote on Jan 31, 2008 10:01 AM:So the vandals have corralled themselves into the Sprinter corridor where they can be more easily caught, but the police aren't patrolling it? Is somebody asleep at the job here?

esteban wrote on Jan 31, 2008 10:03 AM:OH my God caning!!!!! That's too harsh. They need love and rehabilitation! They are just misunderstood by the white man.

dave from oceanside wrote on Jan 31, 2008 10:09 AM:It's most likely the criminal Illegal alien population causing the tagging and gang problem.
Sue the city for allowing this in the first place, don't push the tagging problem on the legal citizens of Vista.

Art Lover wrote on Jan 31, 2008 10:23 AM:Let's not think of it as graffiti. Rather it's a series of petroglyphs created by indigenous people of Vista.

Thinking of it that way makes the Sprinter more like a cultural experience instead of just a train ride.

Totally justifies the price too...

ArtLover wrote on Jan 31, 2008 10:24 AM:Let's not think of it as graffiti. Rather it's a series of petroglyphs created by indigenous people of Vista.

Thinking of it that way makes the Sprinter more like a cultural experience instead of just a train ride.

Totally justifies the price too...

? wrote on Jan 31, 2008 10:52 AM:What would Jesus do?

NCT wrote on Jan 31, 2008 10:59 AM:make the taggers use the Image Verification like I have do to tag this blog

The Vicous Cycle wrote on Jan 31, 2008 11:20 AM:The city is just wasting their time by delaying the schedule of the sprinter.....and the fact that it is for graffiti is stupid....graffiti can never be stopped....if you really want to make the view of the city better BOOT THE TOYS,AND LET THE KINGS TAKE OVER!!!!!!

Fine the Propery Owners wrote on Jan 31, 2008 11:28 AM:Fine the property owners if they don't clean it up in 48 hours. Thats the best way to stop graffiti. When you know you are going to get dinged by the government, you learn quickly to keep an eye on your property and your neighbors.

karl wrote on Jan 31, 2008 11:36 AM:graffiti is beautiful

TVC wrote on Jan 31, 2008 11:38 AM:Its mainly the citys property,not the home owners.......

mad as hell wrote on Jan 31, 2008 11:52 AM:Hers how it went:
1)NCTD promises landscaping, sound walls and security for the rail corridor.
2) Sprinter goes over budget because of design flaws in the track.
3)NCTD cuts out landscaping, sound walls and security
4)Vista will hold home owners responsible for landscaping, security and sound walls or will be fined.

Read my lips. We didn't want the damn thing in the first place. It got shoved down our throats with promises of landscaping, sound walls and security.
Why don't the Mayor and city councilmen forfeit their five hundred dollar a month car allowance and ride the Sprinter?

to ? wrote on Jan 31, 2008 12:31 PM: Jesus in HayUse or as in Jesus Christ?

To mad as hell wrote on Jan 31, 2008 12:56 PM:Right on!!! I agree I think Mayor Vance and his City Councilmembers should forfeit their car allowance and ride the sprinter and also ALL Vista City employees should take a pay cut and pay to install cameras or intensify security. It would be nice if we could blame just one group of people for the graffiti around town but as intelligent and sensible people we can not do that. To think that anyone could think that we should deport the taggers. Yesterday I saw this kid with blond hair tagging on my fence should I have called border patrol?

Idea wrote on Jan 31, 2008 2:58 PM:Lets involve Bill F, Tina J, Enrique M and a couple of NCT columnists who complain about the Minutemen picking up trash. These people could (if they really wanted to do something positive to improve our communities) organize graffiti watches along the tracks. They could take pictures of these vandals and turn them in to the authorities. The authorities should see to it that hefty fines are be imposed on the vandals who are caught or their parents if the vandals are minors. Much better than cleaning up after the fact. Any graffiti that occurs without being observed by the above named groups could then be cleaned personally by the above groups, and they would be seen as doing something constructive rather than whining about the MM removing trash along the freeway.

Put the taggers to work wrote on Jan 31, 2008 4:05 PM:When you catch these punks, the need to be put on a weekend painting crew for six months. Have them paint over all the graffiti. They'll get pissed at their buddies tagging if they know they have to clean it up. This is a simple solution but some ACLU lawyer would most likely screw it up.

To: Fine the Propery Owners wrote on Jan 31, 2008 4:28 PM:Are you serious,"you learn quickly to keep an eye on your property and your neighbors," So the city doesn't have to keep an eye on their city?
I think 'Put the taggers to work' is a good solution, not only should they clean their own graffitti but their rivals graffitti as well. Your last sentence is pretty truthful as well.

The City wrote on Jan 31, 2008 5:29 PM:Is too busy wasting money on public art projects like those stupid kites it is buying and hiring a "graffitti artist" to paint murals to do anything about this problem. You think the nctd wastes money? The have nothing on the vista city council.

Vista Watchdog wrote on Jan 31, 2008 6:37 PM:You bet I'll be watching my property closer: with a shotgun!

Floyd wrote on Jan 31, 2008 6:42 PM:If the taggers are smart, they'll mix in a few messages like "Hooray for SANDAG", "Go NCTD", "Sprinter Rocks", and "Shop Vista!" with the rest of their work. Then it will immmediately become a "body of public art" that will be protected from any efforts to deface it. I would draw the line, however, at any tax increase to preserve that artwork.

Greg wrote on Jan 31, 2008 6:47 PM:It won't be long until the cash-starved Sprinter decides to paint over the windows with paid advertising, just like on the buses. Then nobody will be able to see the graffiti anyway.

graffiti is pathetic wrote on Jan 31, 2008 7:24 PM:It is too bad that almost all taggers are such lousy artists. If they would actually create art instead of a bunch of squiggly lines and blurry images we might actually like some of it.
Taggers and Graffitt artists, please take the time to do the job right. Write legibly so we can understand what you are trying to say. Otherwise, go back to crayons and coloring books until you can get it right.

dictionary wrote on Jan 31, 2008 7:34 PM:I need a tagger to english dictionary. I can never tell what it means. Does it say "joannie Love ChaChi" or "The Jet and Sharks Rumble on Friday Night" or "don't forget to bring home milk". If only some one would be kind enough to translate if for me. Hey, maybe we could get the county to pay for a docent to provide subtitles?

Make the tagging penalties harsh and they will stop wrote on Jan 31, 2008 7:48 PM:Make an example out of some of the taggers caught and the tagging will dramtically decrease! Until Vista gets serious about punishments, tagging will continue for the many, many years just like it has in LA county and other areas where the taggers laugh at the city council.

vista resident wrote on Jan 31, 2008 9:30 PM:I say

Tar and feathered

Tagger wrote on Jan 31, 2008 9:57 PM:It is a job that Americans wont do. So, I guess it must be people coming here to do those jobs Americans wont do. Maybe we can hire a couple of them to do the other job Americans don't seem to want to do: Police the area and keep the taggers away!

To Greg wrote on Jan 31, 2008 10:17 PM:The cash strapped Sprinter hasn't really gotten started. It should be renamed the Snail. At the rate the project is going, I doubt if it will ever have any passengers. I mean come on, the powers that be are continually screwing around.

dave wrote on Feb 11, 2008 12:55 PM:1 catch a few taggers
2 make them walk the tracks painting over the tagging.
3. After a few weeks offer parole if they help convict the next tagger.
4, Repeat step 2

Too bad wrote on Feb 11, 2008 10:07 PM:It takes a 500 million $ public tranportation disaster to get VISTA to do something about these lowlife taggers!