Here's a news item from the AP:  BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho police say the growing menace of graffiti merits felony punishment. They're pushing a bill to create stiff fines of up to $5,000 and 5 years in prison for recalcitrant taggers whose art work can cause thousands in damage to private buildings, freeway overpasses, even traffic signs. Rep. Carlos Bilbao, a Republican from Emmett, said after an initial hearing Monday in the House Judiciary and Rules Committee that a misdemeanor graffiti law enacted in 1987 is no longer enough to keep spray paint-wielding outlaws bent on winning recognition in the shadowy world of underground artists in check. Police say a youngster who vandalizes property with a single can of paint would likely still face misdemeanor charges. But repeat offenders — and those who cause more than $1,000 in damage — could face the stiffer penalties called for by Bilbao's measure.

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