By Bob Harris
The city of Yonkers in Westchester County has a law against graffiti — and has enforced it to the extent that graffiti no longer is a municipal blight there.
I gave a New York Times article on this to Paul Kerzner, president of the Greater Ridgewood Restoration Corporation, who is fighting to eliminate graffiti in Queens.
He learned that Yonkers has created a separate Graffiti Department headed by Richie Fedor for the past three years. Fedor goes out and looks for graffiti, reports it to the Building Department which sends out notices by registered mail or delivery by hand. The owner has 48 hours to remove the graffiti, otherwise the owner is fined up to $250, and the city will remove the graffiti within five days and bill the owner.
The fine is included in the tax bill which becomes a lien on the property if the owner can’t be found or does not pay the fine. It’s likewise for the clean-up bill. The Yonkers law makes it the “owner’s responsibility for all cost incurred by the city to have graffiti removed.” Fedor says they did not need state permission. Yonkers is now virtually graffiti-free. Fedor can be reached at 914-377-6727.
Kerzner has been in contact with Queens Borough President Claire Shulman and sent her copies of the Yonkers and Village of Patchogue, L.I. graffiti laws.
It seems that the Greater Ridgewood Restoration Corporation has been covering graffiti in Ridgewood. However, 171 absentee landlords refuse to sign waivers which would allow volunteers to clean their property, even for free. The Ridgewood people are frustrated because the responsible property owners are unhappy that some property still has graffiti.
Kerzner has been in contact with the Office Assistant District Attorney Jessie Sligh, is working with the Queens Borough President's Anti-Graffiti Task Force, and encouraged Shulman to write to Judith Kaye, chief justice of the New York State Court of Appeals, and other judges.
At the current time Yonkers is graffiti-free while New York City is…………
One can reach Paul Kerzner at 366-8721, FAX 366-8374 , e-mail: grrc@accesshub.net
GOOD NEWS OF THE WEEK
The number of 911 emergency telephone class had increased by some 20 percent as the crime rates is falling. It seems that the growing availability of cell phones means that accidents and crimes can easily be reported by concerned citizens. However, Councilman Sheldon Leffler, chairman of the Public Safety Committee, feels that 911 needs upgrading. Floating around is a proposal for a new 311 system for non-emergency calls which make up about 6 percent of all 911 calls.
BAD NEWS OF THE WEEK
It seems that residents of southeast Queens, near Kennedy Airport and not far from LaGuardia Airport, have a very high rate of asthma. One factor which causes asthma is the fumes and particles released by airplane exhausts and the fuel lost during takeoff and landings. Of course, dust, mold, pollen, tobacco smoke and auto and truck exhausts are possible causes of asthma, too. Better emission-control devices on planes, cars and trucks should reduce asthma attacks.
Spending a few dollars on controls many make it easier for us to breath.
