Assembly Member Miller, Senator Addabbo, City Council Member Crowley Offer $500 Reward - Goal to End Graffiti...

Assemblyman Mike Miller, Senator Joseph Addabbo, and Council Member Elizabeth Crowley are offering $500 to any residents who can provide information leading to the arrest and conviction of a person responsible for graffiti vandalism.

The initiative comes after three individuals, Matthew Young, 23, Thomas Rank, 19, and Matthew Perez, 16, were arrested for graffiti vandalism last week in the 104th Precinct.

“Our residents are furious and they have every right to be,” Assemblyman Miller said. “I called the Senator and the Council Member and worked with them to help find a solution. When residents call our offices to report fresh graffiti we help them document it and then help clean it up. It’s time we took a stronger stand. We need to get ahead of this problem. By offering a cash reward to anyone who can stop these vandals we will help police catch them, prosecutors convict them, and most importantly keep our neighborhoods clean.”

“I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to work with my colleagues in government to address the issue of graffiti,” Senator Addabbo said. “Graffiti is a concern shared by many of the people we serve throughout our districts. I am hopeful our collective effort successfully reduces instances of graffiti in our communities.”

“Graffiti is an unlawful and unsightly act of vandalism that has gone on in this City for far too long," said Council Member Elizabeth Crowley. "To create a graffiti-free environment, the whole neighborhood needs to be involved and this reward will encourage those who see something, to say something. This new reward program will help engage the community in speaking out against graffiti vandals by holding those accountable for committing these acts of vandalism.”

Although this program is being offered through all three offices, anyone witnessing a crime in progress should immediately call 911.

The Liberation of Liberty Avenue by Tonia N. Cimino - The Queens Courier

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Margaret Finnerty of the Richmond Hill South Civic Association and City Councilmember Eric Ulrich test out the power washer after announcing an expanded graffiti removal program.

Liberty Avenue will soon be liberated from graffiti, thanks to City Councilmember Eric Ulrich.

On Tuesday, September 21, he announced the continuation and expansion of his comprehensive graffiti removal program in District 32. The joint effort with the Greater Woodhaven Development Corporation has already cleaned up hundreds of properties, and this year is being expanded to include regular maintenance of Liberty Avenue and second floor locations.

“We are well on our way towards eliminating graffiti vandalism in our community,” said Ulrich. “With the addition of Liberty Avenue to the program, we are making these eyesores a thing of the past.”

Bruce Pienkny of CitySolve, Maria Thomson of the Greater Woodhaven Development Corp, Margaret Finnerty of the Richmond Hill South Civic Association and area business owners and residents joined the Councilmember along Liberty Avenue to kick off the effort.

Last year the program focused on 101st Avenue, Woodhaven Boulevard and Rockaway Boulevard. This year, it has been expanded to also include an initial cleanup and monthly maintenance of Liberty Avenue from 75th Street to Lefferts Boulevard.

“It’s the monthly maintenance that ultimately keeps the problem under control,” said Pienkny. “We clean it up, and then maintain, maintain, maintain.”

Residents can still call the Councilmember’s graffiti removal hotline at 718-738-1429 to report any locations within the 32nd District that are in need of cleanup.

Insensitive Graffiti Cleaned Up by Tonia N. Cimino - The Queens Courier

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Andrew Baumann is thrilled.

After an article in last week’s Courier Sun – and a timely response by City Councilmember Eric Ulrich – the insensitive graffiti on the Bernard Fineson Center in Howard Beach has been eradicated.

On Wednesday, July 21, City Solve, the company Ulrich has hired to clean up graffiti in the area, painted over the tag that read “Dirtnikki ♥s retards.”

Pamela Baumann, who, along with her husband Andrew, founded New York Families for Autistic Children (NYFAC), said she was alerted to the graffiti on the Bernard Fineson Center on Monday, July 12.

She called Ulrich’s office, the 106th Precinct, Community Board 10 and others, and less than 10 days later, it was gone.

“Thank you Eric Ulrich,” said Andrew. “I’m very pleased with his responsiveness to the needs of the community. Graffiti to me is bad as it is, but when you add that word, you step over the line.”

“Eric specifically had City Solve come out, especially for that,” said Conor Greene, spokesperson. “How people would do that – it’s awful.”

In the meantime, Andrew hopes to never see those words scrawled anywhere, ever again.

Insensitive Graffiti Galls Couple by Tonia Cimino - The Queens Courier

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When she got the phone call, she was angry. But when she saw it for herself, she was appalled.

Pamela Baumann, who, along with her husband Andrew, founded New York Families for Autistic Children (NYFAC), said she was alerted to the graffiti on the Bernard Fineson Center in Howard Beach on Monday, July 12.

She passed by, with her 16-year-old autistic son, and both were shocked to read “Dirtnikki ♥s retards.”

“‘Mentally retarded’ is a thing of the past,” said Andrew. “It has such negative connotations. Graffiti is graffiti, but this – especially on that building – is terrible.”

In fact, said Andrew, the word “retarded” is so negative that the body under which Fineson – and NYFAC – run, the Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, has been changed to the NYS Office for People with Developmental Disabilities.

Pamela called Community Board 10, the 106th Precinct, State Senator Joseph Addabbo and City Councilmember Eric Ulrich.

106th Precinct Commanding Officer Deputy Inspector Joseph G. Courtesis assured her that “every single cop has been assigned” to look for the vandal.

And graffiti officer Frank Reina said that he is looking into it and may have some ideas as to who is responsible.

In addition, Reina said, the perp might have tagged other locations in the area, including the library, Blockbuster video and at 133rd Street and Cross Bay Boulevard.

The Baumanns are so upset over it; they have even vowed to paint over the graffiti themselves.