Graffiti at top of City Council's '09 hit list

Other priorities: Neighborhoods, economic growth

By Katie Kerwin McCrimmon, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published May 16, 2008 at 11 p.m.

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Denver will wage war on graffiti if council members have their way.

Members of Denver City Council want to wipe out graffiti to boost quality of life and combat gangs across the city.

During a goal-setting retreat Friday, council members picked five priorities for the 2009 budget. Mayor John Hickenlooper and his department heads will be presenting a budget by September. Council members held their goal-setting session to weigh in early on their priorities as the mayor shapes his budget.

The council members' top concerns were: bolstering neighborhoods, pushing for robust economic development, combating graffiti, minimizing traffic to benefit pedestrians and bicyclists, and making Denver more attractive for children and families.

"If we could end graffiti and every aspect of that, people would cheer," said Councilwoman Jeanne Faatz.

Council members want city workers from multiple departments deployed to fight graffiti quickly. They also want to work with Denver Public School officials to quickly erase any graffiti in schools.

"Graffiti in middle and high schools is turning them into recruiting bulletin boards for gangs," said Councilwoman Carol Boigon.

Councilwoman Judy Montero said fighting graffiti was the highest priority for residents of her district, which includes parts of downtown and north Denver.

"Councilman Paul Lopez, who represents west Denver, agreed that graffiti is a big problem, but he also wanted to push for a fair share of city services for his district, which includes many of the city's poorest residents.

"A lot of people feel second place and don't like being skipped," Lopez said.

"You're like me when I first got elected," said Council President Michael Hancock. "Fight like hell."

Councilman Rick Garcia, who represents northwest Denver, proposed an idea to keep middle-class families in Denver. He wants financial incentives for families to make additions on homes they've outgrown.

Nearly all of the council members pushed for greater cooperation with Denver Public Schools. They believe stronger schools generate stronger neighborhoods.

Council members wanted a voice in DPS decisions about school closures and urged DPS officials not to sell closed schools, but rather to rent them so schools could reopen them when demand rebounded.

Council members will refine their goals, then hold budget hearings with department heads in coming weeks. Officials from the mayor's office said they didn't expect proposed cuts from department heads until June 15. While the mayor's representatives said he welcomes council input, Denver's charter spells out that the mayor has the power to create the city budget.

McCrimmonK@RockyMoun tainNews.com or 303-954-2502

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