Anyone who has visited midtown lately knows that this part of Sacramento is no stranger to spray paint. In fact, some of the template-painted sidewalk commentaries seem “fun”. “Consumer California” and anti-Bush messages dot the corners, as well as blackbirds and bats (I have no idea why those are painted where they are).

But meanwhile, the taggers are creeping in and systematically labeling garbage cans, air conditioners, dumpsters, and, well, buildings.

Today on my walk past 22nd and P Streets, there was a reward sign posted. “REWARD,” it said. “$500 for the name and location of the anus who did this mess.” The sign was posted just above a freshly painted black tag on the off-white house. The tag wasn’t pretty–it wasn’t even that unique.

So here’s my question. Why do some houses get tagged and not others? Why choose that house and not the one a couple of blocks down? Won’t the reward sign cause a flurry of more tagging in that area?

And finally, how much does it cost to paint over the tag? Surely not more than $500? (In fact you can get free paint cover-up from the City of Sacramento–comes in one of four colors.) Is this just the reward-offerer’s way to exact justice? What would you do if you knew the name and location of someone who vandalized your home? Would you vandalize their home in traditional “eye for an eye” tactic?

I’d rather see spray paint on the sidewalk than on the side of a house. Or maybe we can push for art back in the schools. Paintbrushes instead of spray cans! Of course, this may just be the sign of things to come. The more big-city Sacramento gets (thus losing its cow-town status), the more big-city headaches.