Union Gap Mayor “walks the talk”

Jim Lemon, Union Gap Mayor has personally taken the reins on their cities graffiti cleanup. The March 28, 2008 Yakima Herald has a good front page story about the Mayor’s cleanup efforts. Union Gap has passed a law that states the property owner can be fined $250 for not cleaning up the graffiti within 15 days. HOWEVER, like the Yakima law passed a couple of years ago, the property owner is offered an opportunity to sign a waiver to allow the city to remove it for FREE. Property Rights fanatics will play the “victim” card and complain of the costs. They seem to overlook the word FREE in the cities offer to remove it for them. Anyone who refuses FREE removal and then refuses to remove it in a timely manner becomes a part of the problem and deserves the heavy fine. With Mayor Lemon’s strong leadership, his city can make a real difference on combating graffiti and it’s my guess that Union Gap residents will respond positively and show pride in their properties.