Postal Service stops anti-graffiti painters in Mt. Washington - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Ouch.

Postal Service stops anti-graffiti painters in Mt. Washington - Pittsburgh Tribune-ReviewSandy Fundy thought she was battling vandals while sprucing up her neighborhood.

Turns out, she and other Mt. Washington residents unknowingly were breaking federal law.

Fundy said she asked for and received permission from a station manager at the Mt. Oliver post office in June to paint over graffiti on a green relay box near her home on Wyoming Avenue.

Under no circumstances can residents legally paint Postal Service boxes, despite what Bruce Kraus on others on city council might say.

Well, there are ways to fight back. This is a time to be creative.

Under no circumstances can a postal truck park on my sidewalk.

Under no circumstances can postal boxes with graffiti go without a phone call to mulitple postal service offices -- on the hour.

How about a wrap around the boxes. A tent could be put up so the view is of another object, not the box.

Perhaps the boxes can be covered pretty fall leaves.

How about if the postal service paints the boxes with black chalk board paint and then little chalk murals be allowed on the boxes. Not paint -- but chalk!

How about if we do a bailout with Obama's administration and change the federal law. We could get a re-painting holiday. Or a Keystone Repainting Zone designation -- a BID -- or whatever.

How about if we put the phone numbers of the paint crew for the post office onto the web. Then we can all call these folks directly.

How about if we put the work schedule of the paint crew on the web and we can see where they'll be day to day and hour to hour.

How about if those homeland security cameras are pointed at the mailboxes and the one's that are doing the late-night vandalism are caught on tape and then arrested. Then they can have, in part, as their punishment, a duty for the next 30-years to keep the boxes clean, or else.