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NYC Mayoral Candidates Offer Differing Visions For Tackling City's Graffiti Problem

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- New York City's mayoral candidates are offering up very different visions for tackling a quality-of-life issue plaguing all five boroughs -- graffiti.

Standing outside a graffiti-tagged business on the West Side, Republican Curtis Sliwa said if he were mayor, he'd make property owners take some responsibility for the blight.

"Once the city removes the graffiti, the bill will go directly to the owner and operator of this property. It is an absolute disgrace that they would allow a property like this be vandalized to this capacity and do nothing," he said.

Democrat Eric Adams says businesses are taxed enough and offered up a different vision.

"Local precincts should identify those locations, partner with youth groups and start a real graffiti abatement program," he said.

On Thursday, Mayor Bill de Blasio touted efforts of the New York City Clean-Up Corps, saying nearly 1,000 properties have been repainted since April.

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