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Vallone Fights "Unsightly" Security Gates
By
Jen Carlson
Published Feb 11, 2009
Modified Feb 11, 2009
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By
Jen Carlson
Published Feb 11, 2009
Modified Feb 11, 2009
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The unstoppable Peter Vallone, Jr. is at it again, fighting for a squeaky clean city that's free from both stuntmen and spray paint! With Jeb Corliss safely tucked away in California, his latest target is "unsightly metal shudders," according to NY1. Sure those security gates may protect stores from vandals and thieves, but Vallone contends they also encourage graffiti (which is on the rise in the city). As a solution "he wants to require all new gates sold and installed in the city to be at least 70 percent see through," something he believes would bring graffiti down 80 percent, even though glass is easily marked (though in all likelihood the graffiti writers will just spread the love elsewhere).
Financial crisis be damned, this is the perfect time to force shop owners to spend thousands on new shutters! No? The Bloomberg administration (despite the Mayor calling the shutters a pet peeve of his back in 2001) doesn't want to require the change, and Andrew Schwartz of the Department of Small Business Services says "we believe it imprudent to legally require a business, especially a new business that's already facing large startup costs to purchase a particular brand or type of security gate." Instead, incentives may be offered for those who make the switch. But will these magical new semi-transparent gates really stop well-aimed spray cans?
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graffiti
metal
peter vallone
shutters
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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