KRDO investigates how much taxpayer money is spent on graffiti cleanup in Colorado Springs
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Graffiti is already cleaned from Red Rock Canyon Open Space in Colorado Springs after someone spray-painted "Black Lives Matter too" on the natural rock formations.
Forty-seven graffiti locations have been tied to recent protests in Colorado Springs. That doesn't include graffiti on parks property.
Mitch Hammes, the Neighborhood Services Manager for the city of Colorado Springs, tells KRDO that graffiti tags this year are happening slightly less often compared to the same timeframe in 2019.
"We find that removing it quickly seems to help, because taggers and those doing it don't get to look at it for a long time," Hammes said.
From January to June 19, 2019, the city was notified of 623 graffiti locations. Cleanup cost $163,625 in taxpayer money.
Within the same dates for 2020, the city has responded to 554 graffiti sites. Cleanup efforts so far this year have cost about $145,700, according to Hammes.
The city also breaks down graffiti locations linked to protests. Of the 554 instances so far in 2020, 47 are believed to be protest-related. This cleanup costs an estimated $6,000, or about 4% of total graffiti removal costs in 2020.
The city says it uses a particular kind of removal process to get spray paint off the natural sandstone at Red Rock Canyon Open Space.
"We will use a sandblaster," Kurt Schroeder, the maintenance and operations manager for Colorado Springs Parks, said. "But the media that we use is actually a biodegradable corn cob product."
Leonard Price is a graffiti artist who was hiking with his family at Red Rock Canyon Open Space Tuesday. Although he appreciates the message someone left on the rocks, he didn't think this was the right place for it.
"As an artist, I understand their reasoning and stuff like that," Price said. "It's a way to express yourself."
However, Price told KRDO he doesn't agree with tagging the natural formation. He also thinks the tax money could be better spent elsewhere.
"Our tax money should be going to other places. Schools. Just helping people financially. There's people out here who really need the money, and for them to use it to just wipe off graffiti -- I think that's dumb," Price said.
In addition, city officials continue to look for the person responsible for tagging “SWYM” at 76 known locations in Colorado Springs this year. The estimated cost to remove graffiti tied to this person is $23,650.
City officials encourage residents to report any graffiti by calling 719-634-5713.
