- Al Podgorski/Sun-Times Media
- City officials say they’re mobilizing more cleanup crews as well as hiking fines to fight graffiti.
Aldermen are poised to sign off Wednesday on a mayoral proposal that would increase the fines for those convicted of illegal graffiti—even though one of the measure’s chief sponsors says that such fines are rarely collected.
But it’s not clear that the current law is being enforced. Alderman Michael Zalewski (23rd Ward), who’s cosponsoring the ordinance, said fines are so rarely collected that the notion of generating money from enforcement is “fictional.”
But Dunn admitted that vandalism is a difficult crime to prevent, since perpetrators can act quickly without being seen. He also said that the portion of graffiti that’s gang related varies across different areas of the city, though residents almost always perceive tagging as a sign of gang activity.
And Alderman Nick Sposato (36th) asked whether the increased fines could be financially crippling to the families of low-income juveniles that are busted. An official with the law department conceded that it could be an issue, but no amendments were made to the ordinance.
