Article content continued

“They are doing stupid things like bullying small business,” says Tom Beltsos. His customers signed his petition saying the markings on his wall were art. The petition went to Toronto and East York Community Council, which put off a decision. (Councillors created the Graffiti Panel because they don’t want to decide what is art and what isn’t.)

This March, Const. Steve McGran of Toronto Police 55 Division approached the Beltsoses as part of “Project Picasso;” volunteers used paint donated by the local Canadian Tire and Benjamin Moore to repaint the offending Beltsos wall in white. Even Const. McGran admits “it would be a good new canvas” for taggers.

Sure enough, on Monday Christopher Pacheco, a bylaw officer, came by and warned Tom that the garage must remove a fresh tag from its wall.

“He said, ‘If you don’t, we’ll send our own guys to paint it and charge you $94 an hour,’” Mr. Beltsos reports.

Standing at the wall this week, I ask Mr. Beltsos what he plans to do now.

“I am going to deem it as an art mural,” he says. “If I have to get another petition, I will do that.”

In the west end, Robert Cabral, whose family owns Robert Automotive Supply and Hardware — and the building it is in — on the corner of Dundas and Beaconsfield Avenue, is furious that the city targets property owners and not those who spray his building.

“They sent me a ‘Notice of Violation,’” he says, waving the document. “I’m not the one doing the violating. I pay $25,000 a year in taxes and yet I have to be dictated by the city? It burns me up inside.”