Graffiti – Tag You Loose – Santa Clara

Is Santa Clara loosing the battle with Graffiti taggers?  There has been an increase of Graffiti in the last few months. 

Previously it seemed that Graffiti was under control and only visible in areas around Cabrillo.  Now it seems that it’s all over.  It was noticeable on the old Marina Playa buildings before the developers bulldozed that site.  (Perhaps there is a good side to developers). 

Santa Clara city along with the SC Police Department have a policy of no tolerance and even have an assigned officer.  To read more you can go to the SC Council website and learn how you as a local can even earn a ‘bounty’ if you turn in a tagger. 

When I first came to the US  I had an expectation to see more Graffiti as it seemed to be an issue in Sydney and Melbourne.  In fact a Graffiti artist would call it a ‘badge  of honor’ if he could tag something that seemed impossible to reach.  An example of that would be a Bridge or a prominent statue.  The only area I ever really noticed tagging here were many of the fly overs on 101 as you headed into San Jose area – notably around Tully. 

I always found Santa Clara to be ‘clean’ from Graffiti but since the increase of empty lots and clearly the lack of surveillance of some of these lots Graffiti has increased and encroached on other private property.

Why an increase?  No surveillance is obvious of the properties in question ie the Marina Playa project before it was bulldozed, the old Kaiser building on 900 Kiely.  These are obvious but if you look closer and carefully you will see it on the tops of the Safeway on Homestead, you will learn that there are some truck owners around Victoria are regularly targeted. 

Clearly these taggers have too much time on their hand and obviously money – because thier spray paint must cost money.  Their ability to draw and create is not being funneled in the right area.  Imagine if we were to give these creative kids an avenue to channel their art into something that either is profitable or of use to the city?  Brighten up public spaces?  Come on Patricia Mahan you must care about the youth of this city.  Rather than offer a ‘bounty’ for these kids – have the money go towards programs that give these kids an outlet a space to create – a city funded art program for teenagers.  Does something like that exist?  If not why not.  Mr Caserta is a teacher he must know how to go about communicating with kids like this.  Mr Kolstadt is a former cop – he must know how to find these ‘lost kids’.  Mr Moore is always looking for a new idea that has his seal of approval. 

Why do you think in Santa Clara vs say Los Altos we have such a high incidents of Graffiti – could it be that we have working class parents that are so busy trying to pay their bills that they can’t be at home with their kids?  sigh… doesn’t that then justify us a little more assistance?  Oh I guess not, for after all isn’t it the unspoken rule that the city can ask you for assistance, tax you and speak for you but you can’t ask for assistance for the city because they are too busy doing work for you that has already been budgeted for and there is not budget to create something new that the residents might actually see might assist the residents.  After all we are just children of the city and really don’t know what we need but the people in office/management/administration know more than us.  We the residents are just the children. Mum and Dad know better …. sigh

 

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