Groups like D-Tag have played a big part in the reduction of graffiti in Whangarei.
One of Whangarei's success stories in recent times has to be the big reduction in graffiti.
Back in 2014, a six-month epidemic saw 20,000 "tags" cleaned up.
Compare that to the July 2015/June 2016 financial year, when just over 16,000 were cleaned up in 12 months.
In the previous three financial years, 30,000 to 31,000 tags were cleaned up annually.
We seem to be tracking well for this financial year - four months to go and 8600 tags have been removed.
Whangarei District Council community services manager Owen Thomas is right - taggers want fame and recognition.
Hence the council contracts organisations like D'Tag to remove tags quickly, reducing their public impact.
The quick removal suggests that taggers give up, because it is a waste of their time.
The other obvious benefit, of course, is that we don't have to look at it.
The super quick removal is great.
Do we still need to address the lack of identity that leads to a person wanting to tag in the first place?
If a young person tags to feel good about themselves, and that outlet is shut down, they still need to do something to feel good about themselves.
Petty crime? Drugs? Join a gang?
In many ways, Whangarei has never had a graffiti problem, it's had an identity and youth problem with young people. Graffiti is just a symptom of that.
By the way, the Whangarei District Council spent $458,807 removing graffiti in the past three financial years to the end of June, 2016.
We're fond of saying "we're no worse that anywhere else".
Well actually, we are.
The Whanganui District Council spent $26,500 removing graffiti last financial year.
It would be great to get to that level.
But it will only happen when we address the identity crisis among our young people.
And clearly, there are unsung heroes out there doing that, complementing the council's efforts.
Congratulations, and keep going.
Road toll continues to rise in dark five days on our roads.