Painted into a corner
Phyllis Bjornson, a 77-year-old Edmonton grandmother, has attempted to scrub the graffiti off of her garage over a dozen times, even taking a toothbrush to the stucco wall.
On July 10 she received a letter from the city stating she would have to get rid of the spray paint or face a $250 fine.
"I've been sick to my stomach I've been so riled up about this," she said. "I'm the victim and I pay the price. That doesn't make sense."
When Bjornson contacted the city about her predicament, she was told she would have to pay to have the building professionally repainted.
That's right, the victim has to pay for what some young thug did to her private property.
Coun. Tony Caterina said Bjornson's case exemplifies why he's against the ticketing.
"This was my biggest concern, that we were going to go out and ticket property owners," he said.
"Now not only do they have to pay for the damage, they have to pay to have it (cleaned). I hope at this point now we can do something for this senior."
The city is approaching the graffiti problem in a backwards manner, Bjornson adds. Instead of targeting the victims, they should be looking for the suspects.
"I'm upset more with the city (than the vandals) because that bylaw doesn't even look for the vandals," she said.
This is the city of Edmonton at it's finest! Why do only lefty idiots run for city council?
17 comments:
"This is the city of Edmonton at it's finest! Why do only lefty idiots run for city council?"
Because in Alberta Leftists don't have a hope in hell of holding a provincial or fedral seat in the house....
"This is the city of Edmonton at it's finest! Why do only lefty idiots run for city council?"
Because in Alberta Leftists don't have a hope in hell of holding a provincial or fedral seat in the house....
It would be interesting if someone with some time on their hands (a retiree perhaps) started doing a bit of a pictoral inventory of city owned property with grafitti and document how long the grafitti stays up before being cleaned or repainted.
I hate when governments expect citizens to do things on a strict timetable but when it comes to them complying with their own bylaws they just don't give a crap.
..has attempted to scrub the graffiti off of her garage over a dozen times..
Maybe City council should be looking into why the Edmonton police force is so inept.
A dozen times?? You think that might have given the collective Clouseau's a clue that this just might be a high risk area for graffiti?
Why bother though, it's so much easier to fine a 77 year old woman than make a 25 year old cop do his job!
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Same thing in Ottawa...they have handed out letter of warnings and notifications that fines will be the next step. Mean while, the last couple of kids caught defacing a building received a 50.00$ fine, and, you are just going to love this one...a couple of city council members blamed it on global warming!! Yep...said that the early summers and late winters gave some kids more time then activity's. The "far left" gets more out of touch with reality every day. billg
What if she fails to pay the fine. Lots of bad publicity for Edmonton on U-tube, blogs, media, showing a 77 year old senior being carted off to jail.
If only lefty idiots run for office, why do non lefties vote for them. I can agree with the thought they can't get elected federally, but what is the excuse for Toronto to elect lefties.
And Dave Taylor, former talk show host, is going after Taft's job.
Hunter who said our city councilors were smart. The majority of them are a bunch of loons.
A dozen times?? You think that might have given the collective Clouseau's a clue that this just might be a high risk area for graffiti?
Oops, my bad, I took that to mean that she had been vandalized 12 times.
It still does not take away the fact that the EPS should be doing more to curb the graffiti problem.
Fining the property owner only sends the message that "As long as we don't see it, we don't have a problem."
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A dozen times?? You think that might have given the collective Clouseau's a clue that this just might be a high risk area for graffiti?
Oops, my bad, I took that to mean that she had been vandalized 12 times.
It still does not take away the fact that the EPS should be doing more to curb the graffiti problem.
Fining the property owner only sends the message that "As long as we don't see it, we don't have a problem."
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Darn Bill from Ottawa beat me to it, he's right, the same thing goes on here, I heard an interview with a councilor waxing on poetically that a home owner is a member of the community and it is their responsibility to keep the standards of the Community of the nations Capital looking good and up to snuff. I guess she doesn't mind how bad it looks with the used crack pipes and needles strewn in Parks and road ways downtown, doesn't mind having to gingerly walk down the street so as you don't fall on some crack head or panhandler that has fallen asleep. Guess she doesn't mind the weeds and mess of city grounds now that we don't spray for weeds and such....Yup Ottawa has the highest standards I have ever lived in.
I can't believe that Ottawa has the same stupid law! Edmonton is probably just following other cities then, seeing as they have never had an original thought in their heads.
Is every city in Canada run by lefties? Toronto, and Vancouver I can understand, but Edmonton and Calgary? What city has a right leaning board? Someone, name me one out there, please!!! I need to know they exist.
Municipal politics is the bottom of the barrel.... except for school boards. Natural effect is that the bottom feeders go to these because they CANNOT make it anywhere else.
Blame the provincial governments though who all hold sway over municipal acts governing the constitution of our cities.
We need the ability for citizens to remove the incompetent and put an end to their milking of the public teat. That can only come with changes to the various provincial municipal acts.
The leftards always blame the victim, it's part and parcel with socialist ideology. Commonsense and fairness and empathy only apply to marginized people, such as drunks, addicts, and pedophiles and rapist etc.
I should ship the ole doll a Nine Iron, the next time one of the little scum bots show up use said iron on his head and hands. One can't paint with broken fingers and wrists.
I think Toronto offers graffiti courses.
And in other local news: any word yet on our 'new' welcome to Edmonton signs?
Ardvark, I think they actually voted against them, but I'm only relying on my husbands word.
Your hubby was right, thanks.
It was a 6-5 vote that saved the taxpayer from paying for 1.3 Million for only 2 signs.
Mandel, Couns. Jane Batty, Karen Leibovici, Ben Henderson and Ed Gibbons all voted for the signs.
Couns. Bryan Anderson, Don Iveson, Tony Caterina, Ron Hayter, Kim Krushell and Amarjeet Sohi voted against.
And thankfully Linda Sloan and Dave Thiele were absent from the vote.
My guess is that Thiele would have voted in favour, but not sure with Sloan. Either way common sense won out.
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