Operation Paint the Town
Content
JONES-BLAIR Company
Operation Paint the Town
December 4, 2013
Seth Burnstein, Domingo Gonzales, Jatin
Julakanti,
Table of Contents
Ashely Lovgren, Bilal Moon
1. INTRODUCTION..................................................................................3
2. BACKGROUND....................................................................................3
2.1. GRAFFITI IN DALLAS.............................................................................................. 3
2.2. THE IMPACTS OF GRAFFITI ON A COMMUNITY..............................................................4
2.3. CASE STUDIES...................................................................................................... 4
2.31. New York City.............................................................................................. 4
2.32. San Francisco.............................................................................................. 5
2.4. Conclusion Based on Research.....................................................................6
3. PROPOSAL.........................................................................................6
3.31. Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART)................................................................7
3.32. Downtown Dallas Inc. (DDI)........................................................................7
4. STAFFING...........................................................................................8
6. AUTHORIZATION...............................................................................10
REFERENCES........................................................................................11
APPENDICES.........................................................................................12
APPENDIX A.............................................................................................................. 13
APPENDIX B.............................................................................................................. 14
APPENDIX C.............................................................................................................. 15
APPENDIX D............................................................................................................. 16
APPENDIX E.............................................................................................................. 16
APPENDIX F.............................................................................................................. 18
APPENDIX G............................................................................................................. 19
Page 2
1. Introduction
Consider your home and the safety of your family, friends, and workplace:
Dallas is more dangerous than 94% of cities in the United States (“Crime,”
2013).
Dallas has a greater crime rate than 95% of communities in Texas (“Crime,”
2013).
One's chance of becoming a victim of either violent or property crime in
Dallas is 1 in 17 (“Crime,” 2013).
We, JONES-BLAIR Company, have called Dallas our home since 1928 (JONES-BLAIR,
n.d.). It is time to give back to our community by doing what we do best: painting.
This creative, yet effective, approach rests on the underlying principle that graffiti
greatly impacts the welfare of a community. In this proposal, we will examine
how the removal of graffiti can provide lasting benefits, including reduced crime and
improved business. We believe a clean environment promotes a safer one with room
for economic growth.
As such, JONES-BLAIR will be partnering with DART and Downtown Dallas, Inc. in
order to launch a cleanup effort in Downtown Dallas. We will be repainting selected
DART light rail stations and the surrounding areas in order to remove graffiti and
ensure that these locations demonstrate the potential of the Dallas area. In doing
so, we can help create a safer and more attractive environment for local businesses
and residents.
Our experience as paint manufacturers makes us uniquely suited to execute this
project. We can provide both the supplies and the expertise needed in order to
make it a success. This project, although simple in concept, will be very cost
effective. A small investment by the parties involved can help bring large changes
to our community.
As our business philosophy states, “Any product, sold to any customer, has but one
purpose – to provide a solution to a problem,” (JONES-BLAIR, n.d.). It is our belief
that our products and expertise, when combined with our partners, will combat local
graffiti. By providing a solution to this problem, we can help make Dallas a more
attractive area to business owners, their employees, local residents, and tourists.
Figure 1: JONES-BLAIR Header
2. Background
2.1. Graffiti in Dallas
Graffiti can be found almost anywhere in Downtown Dallas. The city receives
approximately 60 reports of illegal graffiti per week (Eiserer, 2012). An example of
this illegal vandalism can be seen in Figure 2.
Page 3
Figure 2:
Example of graffiti in Downtown
Dallas
The most dangerous areas in Dallas are Five Points, WebbChapel-Timberline, RossBennett, Forest-Audelia, and JuliusSchepps-Central (“EXCLUSIVE,” 2013). These
areas lead the DFW area in violent offenses such as murder, robbery, and sexual
assault. Not surprisingly, these areas are graffiti hubs.
Graffiti acts as a negative externality as well, harming the economy. Cities as large
as Dallas spend two to six million or more dollars per year in cleanup efforts (“Fast
Facts,” 2013). Crime reduces property values and as a result, fewer buildings are
occupied for business (“Office,” n.d.). The problem is evident, but the impact is not
always clear. The correlation for this causation is explained below.
2.2. The Impacts of Graffiti on a Community
Studies have shown that small, perceived instances of decay and lawlessness have
far reaching communal effects. This is understood by Malcolm Gladwell’s broken
window theory as outlined in his book, The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can
Make a Big Difference.
“If a window is broken and left unrepaired, people walking by will conclude
that no one cares and no one is in charge. Soon, more windows will be
broken, and the sense of anarchy will spread from the building to the street
on which it faces, sending a signal that anything goes. In a city, relatively
minor problems like graffiti, public disorder, and aggressive panhandling,
they write, are all the equivalent of broken windows, invitations to more
serious crimes” (Gladwell, 2000).
The perception of low neighborhood safety, decay, absent communal monitoring,
and gang activity are all deterrents to anyone interested in living, growing and or
investing in a community. This is better understood by Gladwell’s “power of
context.” You don't have to solve the big problems to solve crime. You can prevent
crimes by taking care of the community through small efforts, such as cleaning up
graffiti.
Page 4
2.3. Case Studies
In order to truly assess the validity of this proposal, JONES-BLAIR investigated the
results of similar projects in cities relative in size to Dallas.
2.31. New York City
NYC had 2,000 murders and 600,000 serious felonies a year in the 1980s. The
conditions of the subway system were chaotic in New York. The rails themselves
were covered with red-tape due to the rail damage, so trains had to go less than 15
mph. Fare-beating was easy to do and cost Transit Authority $150 million in
revenue. Panhandlers and petty criminals had committed 20,000 felonies a year
(Gladwell, 2000).
In response, NYC hired new subway director David Gunn to oversee the rebuilding of
the subway system. While many urged him to tackle larger factors of crime and
subway reliability, Gunn focused on graffiti as he thought it to be the symbolic
collapse of the system. He realized that the common denominators of subways were
that they were covered top to bottom, inside and out with graffiti.
From 1984 to 1990, he created management structures and a precise set of goals
for cleaning the system line by line. The results speak for themselves. Gunn's
program transformed the most dangerous metropolitan in America to the
safest in the span of a decade. Through an effective graffiti cleanup program:
Murders in the city dropped by 66% (Gladwell, 2000).
Felonies in the city were cut by 50% (Gladwell, 2000).
Felonies on the subways were cut by 75% (Gladwell, 2000).
2.32. San Francisco
More recently, efforts in San Francisco increased to not only remove graffiti, but to
address it within 24 hours of it being reported. In her thesis, Natalie Dillon proved a
spatial relation between graffiti and crime. Figure 3 showcases this relationship with
assault, and her evidence showed a similar relation to vehicle theft, prostitution,
narcotics, robbery, and arson (Dillon, 2013). Similar to New York, San Francisco also
experienced its highest concentration of crime rates at or around the areas with the
highest concentration of graffiti.
Page 5
Figure 3:
Spatial relation between graffiti (red) and assault Francisco
In 2009, San
(purple) in San Francisco in 2012 (Dillon, 2013)
launched its 3-11 hotline to
bolster its
Graffiti Watch
Program. The
hotline nearly
quadrupled reports of graffiti, from 6,000 to 20,000 from 2008 to 2009 (Dillon,
2013).
In the last five years, San Francisco has “witnessed great reductions in overall
citywide crime.
In 2008, a total of 139,364 crime reports were filed.
Three years later, this number dropped 16% (22,774) to reach 116,590 crime
reports filed in 2011” (Dillon, 2013).”
2.4. Conclusion Based on Research
The empirical evidence demonstrates the great impact graffiti can have on a
community's welfare. Other research suggests, “the mere presence of graffiti
doubles the number of people littering and stealing in a neighborhood” (Bryner,
2008). The broken window theory and case studies also demonstrate the benefits
that a community cleanup can bring. Knowing this, JONES-BLAIR finds it appropriate
to extend the following proposal in order to tackle the graffiti problem in Dallas.
3. Proposal
3.1. Objectives
This proposal offers the following benefits:
1. Reduce crime in the surrounding area and by extension, the city overall.
2. Improve citizens' and tourists' perceptions of the city.
3. Strengthen the economy in the surrounding area.
Page 6
3.2. Process
In order to achieve these goals, JONES-BLAIR has developed a plan to paint over the
graffiti-laden areas along the DART rail and the surrounding areas in Downtown
Dallas. This cost-effective process cleans the area of vandalism that has tarnished
the area's reputation (“Northeast Dallas,” 2013). As proven by past examples, the
aesthetics of an area go a long way in determining that area's culture. In attacking
vandalism, the citizens, tourists, and businesses of downtown will benefit from
reduced crime and improved safety and infrastructure conditions.
We will assemble four teams of ten members amongst our pool of employees and
volunteers. Each group will include at least two of our employees. They will be
equipped and trained to operate a pressure sprayer. This enables each group to
remove graffiti in spots where paint may be less effective or unnecessary. Two
security guards from DART police will accompany each group. This is in addition to
the general DART police and the Downtown Safety Patrol who will provide security
around the rail and the surrounding areas. These entities will be discussed in
Section 3.3 on Page 7.
Volunteers will meet at Union Station on Saturday, May 10, 2014 at 8:00 AM. At
8:30, these groups will begin boarding the DART to the designated stops (see
Appendix A, Page 13). The stops on this map are targeted for their moderate to
heavy amounts of graffiti. Each group will cover four stops. At the targeted stops,
groups will use our paint to cover the graffiti. Each group will carry ten gallons of
paint. Alternatively, an employee of ours will carry a pressure sprayer to remove the
graffiti.
At 12:00 PM, the groups will ride the DART to Reunion Park to enjoy a free lunch.
Baker’s Ribs will cater box lunches. Upper management of JONES-BLAIR will pick up
the orders and meet the volunteers at Reunion Park. We will begin our contact with
Baker’s Ribs three months prior to the event. Costs to be associated with the lunch
have been considered in the budget (see Section 5.1 on Page 9).
3.3. Partnerships
In order to effectively execute this plan, JONES-BLAIR has struck partnerships with
two entities. Both provide unique benefits that will help streamline the process and
make it more cost-effective.
3.31. Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART)
In exchange for cleaning the surrounding areas and in the spirit of goodwill, DART
has agreed to provide our volunteers with free rail passes on the day of the event.
This enables our groups to travel to and from the targeted areas with ease and in
numbers. It simplifies our process as well into four easy steps:
1. Board the DART and ride to a designated spot.
2. Exit the DART in order to paint over and/or pressure spray the graffiti.
3. Repeat steps one and two until all four stops for each group have been
addressed.
4. Ride the DART to Reunion Park at 12:00.
Page 7
Furthermore, DART will help in the security efforts by way of the DART Police.
Appendix B on Page 14 provides the correspondence between our team and DART in
which they agree to these services.
3.32. Downtown Dallas Inc. (DDI)
“DDI is a non-profit organization that is the principle advocate, champion, and
steward of Downtown Dallas” (Downtown, n.d.). Its Downtown Safety Patrol (DSP)
will provide additional security. While the DART Police will cover the areas around
the DART itself, DSP will cover areas outside the rail. DSP will also provide its
services at the picnic after the volunteer event.
Additionally, this proposal meets the requirements to take a deduction for any
inventory donated by JONES-BLAIR. Further explanation and its impact can be found
in the budget section (see Section 5.2 on Page 9) and in Appendix G on Page 19.
Appendix C on Page 15 provides the correspondence between our team and DDI in
which they agree to the security service.
Figure 4:
5:
DART Logo
Figure
DDI Logo
3.4. Marketing
In order to assemble our group of volunteers, we will reach out to our entire
company of 160 employees (JONES-BLAIR, n.d.) to join the effort. We will e-mail a
flyer (see Appendix D on Page 16) that advertises the project. This will enable our
employees to share it with friends and family. On the flyer will be a link to the online
volunteer sign-up form (see Appendix E on Page 17 for a screenshot of it).
The aim is to have our group of 40 volunteers assembled one month prior to the
event. The proximity is to ensure that a commitment is made in advance but not too
far out for the commitment to be broken. We will request the DART passes once 40
volunteers have signed up for the event. They will be distributed on the day of the
event when the group first unites in the morning at Union station.
3.5. Follow-Up
JONES-BLAIR understands the effort it will take to meet the objectives outlined in
Section 3.1 on Page 6. This one-day event will simply be the beginning of a longterm fight against vandalism along the DART and the greater downtown area.
Every second Saturday of every month for the next three years, JONES-BLAIR will
send a group of employees to review the same areas targeted on the map. This
group will make sure that vandalism is not reappearing in the areas addressed in
this plan. In such a case, the group will paint over or pressure spray the graffiti. In
addition, we will be in contact with DART and DDI for any new areas that are in need
of cleanup. These groups will be paid overtime for their efforts. These costs are not
included in the budget as they are not accurately foreseeable. JONES-BLAIR will
assume them when they occur.
Page 8
4. Staffing
Table 1: Group Makeup
Team Number
Number of
Company
Employees
1
2-5
2
2-5
3
2-5
4
2-5
Follow-Up Team
3
(4 Teams)
Number of
Volunteers
5-8
5-8
5-8
5-8
Number of
Accompanying
DART Officers
2
2
2
2
0-7
1-2
We will enlist the 40 volunteers based on who signs up first. We will require a
minimum of two of our employees per group, meaning at least eight of our
employees for the project. This is so each group has at least two volunteers who can
utilize a pressure sprayer. Employees without the ability to work one will be trained
prior to the event. Two security guards, from the DART Police, will accompany each
group. In addition to providing protection, DART security can provide insight as to
what constitutes illegal graffiti versus legitimate artwork as deemed by the rail or
city.
Volunteers who sign up beyond the required 40 will be extended an opportunity to
join the follow-up effort (details outlined in Section 3.5 on this page). These groups
will not require volunteers beyond our own workers, although up to seven per group
are welcome. The employees volunteering for the follow-up can recruit them. The
12 employees on the follow-up teams will be compensated with overtime pay.
Security personnel will be enlisted from DART based on the size of the groups, with
one guard per group of three to five and two guards per group of six to ten.
Once the volunteers have arrived at Union Station at 8:00, we will distribute the
volunteer T-Shirts. DART and DSP will know to recognize those wearing these TShirts as volunteers. A draft of the T-Shirts can be seen in Appendix F on Page 18.
For those involved in the follow-up efforts, T-Shirts will be produced for them in the
future. JONES-BLAIR will assume these costs. They are not included in the budget as
they are not accurately foreseeable.
5. Budget
5.1. Breakdown
Table 2: Breakdown of the Budget
Items
Paint
Supplies
T-Shirts
Description
1 Gallon
Paint Brushes
Paint Rollers
Paint Trays
Adult Size
Quantit
y
40
20
20
40
30
Price
$8
$5
$10
$5
$12
Total
$320
$100
$200
$200
$360
Page 9
Food
Youth Size
BBQ Catering
10
40
$8
$8
Total
WriteOf
Grand
Total
$80
$320
$1,580
($431.1
9)
$1148.
81
We project this proposal to cost $1,900 for 40 participants. The details to each
section are as follows:
1. 40 gallons of paint will cover 16,000 square feet of wall. There will be one
gallon per person.
2. The supplies list contains three individual items totaling $500. The supplies
consist of 20 paintbrushes, 20 paint rollers with rods, and 40 paint trays.
3. Each volunteer will receive a T-Shirt. The budget, as planned assumes 30
adults and 10 children, however this is simply a forecast. The true numbers
will depend on the first 40 to sign-up. Nevertheless, the costs will be within
range of the $440 predicted above.
4. We plan to buy lunch for our volunteers as a reward for their hard work. The
total cost is based on an average of $8 per person for a plate of BBQ with
sides and a drink, amounting to $320.
5. The costs are derived from our own website (JONES-BLAIR, n.d.), the T-Shirt
manufacturer’s website (Custom, n.d.), and the caterer’s website (Baker’s,
n.d.).
5.2. Tax Write-Of
As Downtown Dallas, Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization, we will
be taking the opportunity to use this project as a charitable contribution write-off for
the current tax year. This transaction satisfies the requirements set out in the
Internal Revenue Code §170(e)(3)(A). As such, JONES-BLAIR Company becomes
eligible to take a deduction for the amount of $431.19. Thus, our final figure for the
budget is $1148.81. The calculations to arrive at this figure are shown in Appendix
G on Page 19.
Page 10
6. Authorization
JONES-BLAIR, DART and Downtown Dallas Inc. request authorization from the Dallas
Chamber of Commerce in order to proceed with the above plan to beautify
Downtown Dallas. We are requesting that the Chamber cover 50% of the cost of this
project after the projected tax savings for JONES-BLAIR. As this project has a cost of
$1148.81 net of the tax savings, we request that the council contribute $574.40 in
order to match the outlay of JONES-BLAIR. This relatively small investment on the
part of JONES-BLAIR and the Chamber of Commerce will cause a large change for
the better.
The execution of this proposal can make the Downtown Dallas area a better place to
live and do business. Join with JONES-BLAIR Company, DART, and Downtown Dallas
Inc. as we work to make our home a cleaner and safer living environment.
___________________________
President, Chamber of Commerce
Company
________________________________
President, JONES-BLAIR
Page 11
References
Baker's Ribs. Retrieved from http://www.bakersribs.com/
Bryner, Jeanna. "Graffiti Triggers Crime and Littering." LiveScience.com. N.p., 20
Nov. 2008. Web.
Retrieved from http://www.livescience.com/7599-graffiti-triggers-crimelittering.html
"Crime rates for Dallas, TX." Dallas TX Crime Rates and Statistics. N.p., 2013. Web.
Retrieved from
http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/tx/dallas/crime/
Custom Ink. Retrieved from http://www.customink.com/styles/gildan-ultra-cotton-tshirt/04600#image
link
Dallas Area Rapid Transit. Retrieved from http://www.dart.org
Dillon, Natalie. (2013). Exploring the Broken Windows Theory: A Spatial Analysis of
Graffiti and Crime in
San Francisco (Honors Thesis). Retrieved from
http://urbanstudies.stanford.edu/programs/documents/DillonHonorsThesis.pdf
Downtown Dallas Inc. Retrieved from http://www.downtowndallas.org
Eiserer, Tanya. "Dallas will try to reduce graffiti by giving artists 'free walls'." The
Dallas Morning News.
N.p., 22 Aug. 2012. Web. Retrieved from
http://www.dallasnews.com/news/communitynews/dallas/headlines/20120822-dallas-will-try-to-reduce-graffiti-by-givingartists-free-walls.ece
EXCLUSIVE: Dallas’ 10 Worst Hotspots for Violent Crime in 2013. (2013, July 24).
Dallas Voice. Retrieved
from http://www.dallasvoice.com/10-dangerous-areas-dallas-10153374.html
"Fast Facts About Graffiti." Graffiti Hurts. N.p., n.d. Web. Retrieved from
http://www.graffitihurts.org/getfacts/fastfacts.jsp
Gladwell, M. (2000). The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference.
London: Little,
Brown.
Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. §170 (1986).
JONES-BLAIR Company. Retrieved from http://www.jones-blair.com/jbc.htm
"Northeast Dallas, Garland, TX." SeeClickFix. N.p., 2013. Web. Retrieved from
Page 12
http://seeclickfix.com/northeast-dallas/categories/graffiti
Office of the Plymouth Town Manager. (n.d). Take Pride Town wide [Brochure].
Retrieved from
http://www.plymouthma.gov/Public_Documents/PlymouthMA_townmgr/Report%20Graffiti%20and
%20Litter/Graffiti%20Brochure.pdf
Page 13
Appendices
A: Map of DART stations in Downtown Dallas to be cleaned up
B: Correspondence of DART agreeing to a partnership
C: Correspondence of DDI agreeing to a partnership
D: E-mail flyer sent to employees
E: Online volunteer signup form
F: T-Shirt design (front and back)
G: Tax Write-Off calculation
Page 14
Appendix A
Page 15
Appendix B
1401 Pacific Ave.
Dallas, TX 75202
(214) 749-3278
December 3, 2013
Bilal Moon
2728 Empire Central
Dallas, TX 75235
Dear Mr. Moon,
Subject: Partnership with JONES-BLAIR for a Graffiti Cleanup Project in Downtown
Dallas
After careful consideration, it is my pleasure to inform you that DART has agreed to
your proposal. Your company's willingness to step forward and tackle the issue of
vandalism at and around our rail systems is highly commendable. We would be
delighted to offer our services in order to execute this project.
DART formally agrees to reserve 40 passes on the day of May 10, 2014 at no
charge. These passes will be valid from 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM as requested. To
streamline the process, we will hold these passes at our booth at Union Station. Your
group may collect them upon your arrival.
DART will also provide additional security to accompany your groups on their
mission. This is in tandem with our general security. This security serves two
purposes:
They increase protection for your volunteers.
They can help designate areas of legitimate artwork that should not be
removed.
Furthermore, DART will continue to provide free passes and security personnel for
your follow-up efforts. We will be in constant communication with you as to which
areas need to be addressed.
We look forward to working with you to improve our community. Once again, we
commend and thank you for your efforts. Please see the enclosed map that
highlights the 12 targeted stops for cleanup. Please contact me for any additional
questions or details on the matter.
Sincerely,
Zareed Mustapha
Zareed Mustapha
Page 16
DART Administrative Offices
Community Services
Enclosure
Page 17
Appendix C
2200 Ross Avenue, Suite
Tel: (214) 744-1270
Dallas, TX 75201
4600E
Fax: (214) 744-1986
December 2, 2013
Bilal Moon
2728 Empire Central
Dallas, TX 75235
Dear Mr. Moon,
Subject: Partnership with JONES-BLAIR for a Graffiti Cleanup Project in Downtown
Dallas
Your proposal to remove graffiti from Downtown Dallas falls in line with our core
values. As such, DDI will gladly provide free security efforts from our Downtown
Safety Patrol throughout the course of your project on May 10, 2014. In addition, we
will also enlist our security for your picnic at Reunion Park.
Thank you for reaching out to us on this matter. It is out mission to maintain
Downtown Dallas. It delights us to see businesses in the area aiding in this effort.
Please contact me if there are any additional details or questions.
Sincerely,
Cheryl Barnes
Cheryl Barnes
DDI Clean Team
Page 18
Appendix D
Get Ready to PAINT the Town!
Join us Saturday, May 10, 2014 for our first
voluntary graffiti cleanup in Downtown
Dallas.
Friends and Family
Welcome!
Free Lunch and T-Shirts!
Click Here to Sign Up Online
Page 19
Appendix E
Volunteer Sign-Up Form
JONES-BLAIR Company
Operation Paint the Town
Date: Sat May 10, 2014
Time: 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Location: Meet at DART Union
Station
Come join us, JONES-BLAIR Company, as we attack the graffiti that plagues
Downtown Dallas.
Upon arrival: You will be given your FREE T-Shirt and DART pass
You and your group will travel to four designated spots with moderate to heavy
amounts of graffiti
Pick up a brush and paint away that vandalism
Then enjoy a FREE lunch at Reunion Park for a job well done!
If interested, please fill out the following information.
Thank you for your effort in beautifying our home and yours!
Name
E-Mail
Phone
T-Shirt Size
Employee
______________________
______________________
______________________
XS
S
M
L
XL
2XL
YXS
YS
YM
YL
Yes
No
YXL
SUBMIT
Page 20
Appendix F
Page 21
Appendix G
Calculation for Tax Write-Off
Deduction = (Sales Price – 0.5 * (Sales Price – Cost)) * Gallons of Paint Donated
Deduction = (13.56 – 0.5 * (13.56 - 8)) * 40
Deduction = 10.78 * 40 = $431.20
Note 1: This is calculated as required in IRC §170(e)(3)(B)(i), where the sales price of
the assets donated is reduced by one half of the gain that would have resulted from
sale of the asset (26 USC §170).
Note 2: Sales price calculated using COGS as 59% of sales price.
Page 22
Operation Paint the Town
December 4, 2013
Seth Burnstein, Domingo Gonzales, Jatin
Julakanti,
Table of Contents
Ashely Lovgren, Bilal Moon
1. INTRODUCTION..................................................................................3
2. BACKGROUND....................................................................................3
2.1. GRAFFITI IN DALLAS.............................................................................................. 3
2.2. THE IMPACTS OF GRAFFITI ON A COMMUNITY..............................................................4
2.3. CASE STUDIES...................................................................................................... 4
2.31. New York City.............................................................................................. 4
2.32. San Francisco.............................................................................................. 5
2.4. Conclusion Based on Research.....................................................................6
3. PROPOSAL.........................................................................................6
3.31. Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART)................................................................7
3.32. Downtown Dallas Inc. (DDI)........................................................................7
4. STAFFING...........................................................................................8
6. AUTHORIZATION...............................................................................10
REFERENCES........................................................................................11
APPENDICES.........................................................................................12
APPENDIX A.............................................................................................................. 13
APPENDIX B.............................................................................................................. 14
APPENDIX C.............................................................................................................. 15
APPENDIX D............................................................................................................. 16
APPENDIX E.............................................................................................................. 16
APPENDIX F.............................................................................................................. 18
APPENDIX G............................................................................................................. 19
Page 2
1. Introduction
Consider your home and the safety of your family, friends, and workplace:
Dallas is more dangerous than 94% of cities in the United States (“Crime,”
2013).
Dallas has a greater crime rate than 95% of communities in Texas (“Crime,”
2013).
One's chance of becoming a victim of either violent or property crime in
Dallas is 1 in 17 (“Crime,” 2013).
We, JONES-BLAIR Company, have called Dallas our home since 1928 (JONES-BLAIR,
n.d.). It is time to give back to our community by doing what we do best: painting.
This creative, yet effective, approach rests on the underlying principle that graffiti
greatly impacts the welfare of a community. In this proposal, we will examine
how the removal of graffiti can provide lasting benefits, including reduced crime and
improved business. We believe a clean environment promotes a safer one with room
for economic growth.
As such, JONES-BLAIR will be partnering with DART and Downtown Dallas, Inc. in
order to launch a cleanup effort in Downtown Dallas. We will be repainting selected
DART light rail stations and the surrounding areas in order to remove graffiti and
ensure that these locations demonstrate the potential of the Dallas area. In doing
so, we can help create a safer and more attractive environment for local businesses
and residents.
Our experience as paint manufacturers makes us uniquely suited to execute this
project. We can provide both the supplies and the expertise needed in order to
make it a success. This project, although simple in concept, will be very cost
effective. A small investment by the parties involved can help bring large changes
to our community.
As our business philosophy states, “Any product, sold to any customer, has but one
purpose – to provide a solution to a problem,” (JONES-BLAIR, n.d.). It is our belief
that our products and expertise, when combined with our partners, will combat local
graffiti. By providing a solution to this problem, we can help make Dallas a more
attractive area to business owners, their employees, local residents, and tourists.
Figure 1: JONES-BLAIR Header
2. Background
2.1. Graffiti in Dallas
Graffiti can be found almost anywhere in Downtown Dallas. The city receives
approximately 60 reports of illegal graffiti per week (Eiserer, 2012). An example of
this illegal vandalism can be seen in Figure 2.
Page 3
Figure 2:
Example of graffiti in Downtown
Dallas
The most dangerous areas in Dallas are Five Points, WebbChapel-Timberline, RossBennett, Forest-Audelia, and JuliusSchepps-Central (“EXCLUSIVE,” 2013). These
areas lead the DFW area in violent offenses such as murder, robbery, and sexual
assault. Not surprisingly, these areas are graffiti hubs.
Graffiti acts as a negative externality as well, harming the economy. Cities as large
as Dallas spend two to six million or more dollars per year in cleanup efforts (“Fast
Facts,” 2013). Crime reduces property values and as a result, fewer buildings are
occupied for business (“Office,” n.d.). The problem is evident, but the impact is not
always clear. The correlation for this causation is explained below.
2.2. The Impacts of Graffiti on a Community
Studies have shown that small, perceived instances of decay and lawlessness have
far reaching communal effects. This is understood by Malcolm Gladwell’s broken
window theory as outlined in his book, The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can
Make a Big Difference.
“If a window is broken and left unrepaired, people walking by will conclude
that no one cares and no one is in charge. Soon, more windows will be
broken, and the sense of anarchy will spread from the building to the street
on which it faces, sending a signal that anything goes. In a city, relatively
minor problems like graffiti, public disorder, and aggressive panhandling,
they write, are all the equivalent of broken windows, invitations to more
serious crimes” (Gladwell, 2000).
The perception of low neighborhood safety, decay, absent communal monitoring,
and gang activity are all deterrents to anyone interested in living, growing and or
investing in a community. This is better understood by Gladwell’s “power of
context.” You don't have to solve the big problems to solve crime. You can prevent
crimes by taking care of the community through small efforts, such as cleaning up
graffiti.
Page 4
2.3. Case Studies
In order to truly assess the validity of this proposal, JONES-BLAIR investigated the
results of similar projects in cities relative in size to Dallas.
2.31. New York City
NYC had 2,000 murders and 600,000 serious felonies a year in the 1980s. The
conditions of the subway system were chaotic in New York. The rails themselves
were covered with red-tape due to the rail damage, so trains had to go less than 15
mph. Fare-beating was easy to do and cost Transit Authority $150 million in
revenue. Panhandlers and petty criminals had committed 20,000 felonies a year
(Gladwell, 2000).
In response, NYC hired new subway director David Gunn to oversee the rebuilding of
the subway system. While many urged him to tackle larger factors of crime and
subway reliability, Gunn focused on graffiti as he thought it to be the symbolic
collapse of the system. He realized that the common denominators of subways were
that they were covered top to bottom, inside and out with graffiti.
From 1984 to 1990, he created management structures and a precise set of goals
for cleaning the system line by line. The results speak for themselves. Gunn's
program transformed the most dangerous metropolitan in America to the
safest in the span of a decade. Through an effective graffiti cleanup program:
Murders in the city dropped by 66% (Gladwell, 2000).
Felonies in the city were cut by 50% (Gladwell, 2000).
Felonies on the subways were cut by 75% (Gladwell, 2000).
2.32. San Francisco
More recently, efforts in San Francisco increased to not only remove graffiti, but to
address it within 24 hours of it being reported. In her thesis, Natalie Dillon proved a
spatial relation between graffiti and crime. Figure 3 showcases this relationship with
assault, and her evidence showed a similar relation to vehicle theft, prostitution,
narcotics, robbery, and arson (Dillon, 2013). Similar to New York, San Francisco also
experienced its highest concentration of crime rates at or around the areas with the
highest concentration of graffiti.
Page 5
Figure 3:
Spatial relation between graffiti (red) and assault Francisco
In 2009, San
(purple) in San Francisco in 2012 (Dillon, 2013)
launched its 3-11 hotline to
bolster its
Graffiti Watch
Program. The
hotline nearly
quadrupled reports of graffiti, from 6,000 to 20,000 from 2008 to 2009 (Dillon,
2013).
In the last five years, San Francisco has “witnessed great reductions in overall
citywide crime.
In 2008, a total of 139,364 crime reports were filed.
Three years later, this number dropped 16% (22,774) to reach 116,590 crime
reports filed in 2011” (Dillon, 2013).”
2.4. Conclusion Based on Research
The empirical evidence demonstrates the great impact graffiti can have on a
community's welfare. Other research suggests, “the mere presence of graffiti
doubles the number of people littering and stealing in a neighborhood” (Bryner,
2008). The broken window theory and case studies also demonstrate the benefits
that a community cleanup can bring. Knowing this, JONES-BLAIR finds it appropriate
to extend the following proposal in order to tackle the graffiti problem in Dallas.
3. Proposal
3.1. Objectives
This proposal offers the following benefits:
1. Reduce crime in the surrounding area and by extension, the city overall.
2. Improve citizens' and tourists' perceptions of the city.
3. Strengthen the economy in the surrounding area.
Page 6
3.2. Process
In order to achieve these goals, JONES-BLAIR has developed a plan to paint over the
graffiti-laden areas along the DART rail and the surrounding areas in Downtown
Dallas. This cost-effective process cleans the area of vandalism that has tarnished
the area's reputation (“Northeast Dallas,” 2013). As proven by past examples, the
aesthetics of an area go a long way in determining that area's culture. In attacking
vandalism, the citizens, tourists, and businesses of downtown will benefit from
reduced crime and improved safety and infrastructure conditions.
We will assemble four teams of ten members amongst our pool of employees and
volunteers. Each group will include at least two of our employees. They will be
equipped and trained to operate a pressure sprayer. This enables each group to
remove graffiti in spots where paint may be less effective or unnecessary. Two
security guards from DART police will accompany each group. This is in addition to
the general DART police and the Downtown Safety Patrol who will provide security
around the rail and the surrounding areas. These entities will be discussed in
Section 3.3 on Page 7.
Volunteers will meet at Union Station on Saturday, May 10, 2014 at 8:00 AM. At
8:30, these groups will begin boarding the DART to the designated stops (see
Appendix A, Page 13). The stops on this map are targeted for their moderate to
heavy amounts of graffiti. Each group will cover four stops. At the targeted stops,
groups will use our paint to cover the graffiti. Each group will carry ten gallons of
paint. Alternatively, an employee of ours will carry a pressure sprayer to remove the
graffiti.
At 12:00 PM, the groups will ride the DART to Reunion Park to enjoy a free lunch.
Baker’s Ribs will cater box lunches. Upper management of JONES-BLAIR will pick up
the orders and meet the volunteers at Reunion Park. We will begin our contact with
Baker’s Ribs three months prior to the event. Costs to be associated with the lunch
have been considered in the budget (see Section 5.1 on Page 9).
3.3. Partnerships
In order to effectively execute this plan, JONES-BLAIR has struck partnerships with
two entities. Both provide unique benefits that will help streamline the process and
make it more cost-effective.
3.31. Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART)
In exchange for cleaning the surrounding areas and in the spirit of goodwill, DART
has agreed to provide our volunteers with free rail passes on the day of the event.
This enables our groups to travel to and from the targeted areas with ease and in
numbers. It simplifies our process as well into four easy steps:
1. Board the DART and ride to a designated spot.
2. Exit the DART in order to paint over and/or pressure spray the graffiti.
3. Repeat steps one and two until all four stops for each group have been
addressed.
4. Ride the DART to Reunion Park at 12:00.
Page 7
Furthermore, DART will help in the security efforts by way of the DART Police.
Appendix B on Page 14 provides the correspondence between our team and DART in
which they agree to these services.
3.32. Downtown Dallas Inc. (DDI)
“DDI is a non-profit organization that is the principle advocate, champion, and
steward of Downtown Dallas” (Downtown, n.d.). Its Downtown Safety Patrol (DSP)
will provide additional security. While the DART Police will cover the areas around
the DART itself, DSP will cover areas outside the rail. DSP will also provide its
services at the picnic after the volunteer event.
Additionally, this proposal meets the requirements to take a deduction for any
inventory donated by JONES-BLAIR. Further explanation and its impact can be found
in the budget section (see Section 5.2 on Page 9) and in Appendix G on Page 19.
Appendix C on Page 15 provides the correspondence between our team and DDI in
which they agree to the security service.
Figure 4:
5:
DART Logo
Figure
DDI Logo
3.4. Marketing
In order to assemble our group of volunteers, we will reach out to our entire
company of 160 employees (JONES-BLAIR, n.d.) to join the effort. We will e-mail a
flyer (see Appendix D on Page 16) that advertises the project. This will enable our
employees to share it with friends and family. On the flyer will be a link to the online
volunteer sign-up form (see Appendix E on Page 17 for a screenshot of it).
The aim is to have our group of 40 volunteers assembled one month prior to the
event. The proximity is to ensure that a commitment is made in advance but not too
far out for the commitment to be broken. We will request the DART passes once 40
volunteers have signed up for the event. They will be distributed on the day of the
event when the group first unites in the morning at Union station.
3.5. Follow-Up
JONES-BLAIR understands the effort it will take to meet the objectives outlined in
Section 3.1 on Page 6. This one-day event will simply be the beginning of a longterm fight against vandalism along the DART and the greater downtown area.
Every second Saturday of every month for the next three years, JONES-BLAIR will
send a group of employees to review the same areas targeted on the map. This
group will make sure that vandalism is not reappearing in the areas addressed in
this plan. In such a case, the group will paint over or pressure spray the graffiti. In
addition, we will be in contact with DART and DDI for any new areas that are in need
of cleanup. These groups will be paid overtime for their efforts. These costs are not
included in the budget as they are not accurately foreseeable. JONES-BLAIR will
assume them when they occur.
Page 8
4. Staffing
Table 1: Group Makeup
Team Number
Number of
Company
Employees
1
2-5
2
2-5
3
2-5
4
2-5
Follow-Up Team
3
(4 Teams)
Number of
Volunteers
5-8
5-8
5-8
5-8
Number of
Accompanying
DART Officers
2
2
2
2
0-7
1-2
We will enlist the 40 volunteers based on who signs up first. We will require a
minimum of two of our employees per group, meaning at least eight of our
employees for the project. This is so each group has at least two volunteers who can
utilize a pressure sprayer. Employees without the ability to work one will be trained
prior to the event. Two security guards, from the DART Police, will accompany each
group. In addition to providing protection, DART security can provide insight as to
what constitutes illegal graffiti versus legitimate artwork as deemed by the rail or
city.
Volunteers who sign up beyond the required 40 will be extended an opportunity to
join the follow-up effort (details outlined in Section 3.5 on this page). These groups
will not require volunteers beyond our own workers, although up to seven per group
are welcome. The employees volunteering for the follow-up can recruit them. The
12 employees on the follow-up teams will be compensated with overtime pay.
Security personnel will be enlisted from DART based on the size of the groups, with
one guard per group of three to five and two guards per group of six to ten.
Once the volunteers have arrived at Union Station at 8:00, we will distribute the
volunteer T-Shirts. DART and DSP will know to recognize those wearing these TShirts as volunteers. A draft of the T-Shirts can be seen in Appendix F on Page 18.
For those involved in the follow-up efforts, T-Shirts will be produced for them in the
future. JONES-BLAIR will assume these costs. They are not included in the budget as
they are not accurately foreseeable.
5. Budget
5.1. Breakdown
Table 2: Breakdown of the Budget
Items
Paint
Supplies
T-Shirts
Description
1 Gallon
Paint Brushes
Paint Rollers
Paint Trays
Adult Size
Quantit
y
40
20
20
40
30
Price
$8
$5
$10
$5
$12
Total
$320
$100
$200
$200
$360
Page 9
Food
Youth Size
BBQ Catering
10
40
$8
$8
Total
WriteOf
Grand
Total
$80
$320
$1,580
($431.1
9)
$1148.
81
We project this proposal to cost $1,900 for 40 participants. The details to each
section are as follows:
1. 40 gallons of paint will cover 16,000 square feet of wall. There will be one
gallon per person.
2. The supplies list contains three individual items totaling $500. The supplies
consist of 20 paintbrushes, 20 paint rollers with rods, and 40 paint trays.
3. Each volunteer will receive a T-Shirt. The budget, as planned assumes 30
adults and 10 children, however this is simply a forecast. The true numbers
will depend on the first 40 to sign-up. Nevertheless, the costs will be within
range of the $440 predicted above.
4. We plan to buy lunch for our volunteers as a reward for their hard work. The
total cost is based on an average of $8 per person for a plate of BBQ with
sides and a drink, amounting to $320.
5. The costs are derived from our own website (JONES-BLAIR, n.d.), the T-Shirt
manufacturer’s website (Custom, n.d.), and the caterer’s website (Baker’s,
n.d.).
5.2. Tax Write-Of
As Downtown Dallas, Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization, we will
be taking the opportunity to use this project as a charitable contribution write-off for
the current tax year. This transaction satisfies the requirements set out in the
Internal Revenue Code §170(e)(3)(A). As such, JONES-BLAIR Company becomes
eligible to take a deduction for the amount of $431.19. Thus, our final figure for the
budget is $1148.81. The calculations to arrive at this figure are shown in Appendix
G on Page 19.
Page 10
6. Authorization
JONES-BLAIR, DART and Downtown Dallas Inc. request authorization from the Dallas
Chamber of Commerce in order to proceed with the above plan to beautify
Downtown Dallas. We are requesting that the Chamber cover 50% of the cost of this
project after the projected tax savings for JONES-BLAIR. As this project has a cost of
$1148.81 net of the tax savings, we request that the council contribute $574.40 in
order to match the outlay of JONES-BLAIR. This relatively small investment on the
part of JONES-BLAIR and the Chamber of Commerce will cause a large change for
the better.
The execution of this proposal can make the Downtown Dallas area a better place to
live and do business. Join with JONES-BLAIR Company, DART, and Downtown Dallas
Inc. as we work to make our home a cleaner and safer living environment.
___________________________
President, Chamber of Commerce
Company
________________________________
President, JONES-BLAIR
Page 11
References
Baker's Ribs. Retrieved from http://www.bakersribs.com/
Bryner, Jeanna. "Graffiti Triggers Crime and Littering." LiveScience.com. N.p., 20
Nov. 2008. Web.
Retrieved from http://www.livescience.com/7599-graffiti-triggers-crimelittering.html
"Crime rates for Dallas, TX." Dallas TX Crime Rates and Statistics. N.p., 2013. Web.
Retrieved from
http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/tx/dallas/crime/
Custom Ink. Retrieved from http://www.customink.com/styles/gildan-ultra-cotton-tshirt/04600#image
link
Dallas Area Rapid Transit. Retrieved from http://www.dart.org
Dillon, Natalie. (2013). Exploring the Broken Windows Theory: A Spatial Analysis of
Graffiti and Crime in
San Francisco (Honors Thesis). Retrieved from
http://urbanstudies.stanford.edu/programs/documents/DillonHonorsThesis.pdf
Downtown Dallas Inc. Retrieved from http://www.downtowndallas.org
Eiserer, Tanya. "Dallas will try to reduce graffiti by giving artists 'free walls'." The
Dallas Morning News.
N.p., 22 Aug. 2012. Web. Retrieved from
http://www.dallasnews.com/news/communitynews/dallas/headlines/20120822-dallas-will-try-to-reduce-graffiti-by-givingartists-free-walls.ece
EXCLUSIVE: Dallas’ 10 Worst Hotspots for Violent Crime in 2013. (2013, July 24).
Dallas Voice. Retrieved
from http://www.dallasvoice.com/10-dangerous-areas-dallas-10153374.html
"Fast Facts About Graffiti." Graffiti Hurts. N.p., n.d. Web. Retrieved from
http://www.graffitihurts.org/getfacts/fastfacts.jsp
Gladwell, M. (2000). The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference.
London: Little,
Brown.
Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. §170 (1986).
JONES-BLAIR Company. Retrieved from http://www.jones-blair.com/jbc.htm
"Northeast Dallas, Garland, TX." SeeClickFix. N.p., 2013. Web. Retrieved from
Page 12
http://seeclickfix.com/northeast-dallas/categories/graffiti
Office of the Plymouth Town Manager. (n.d). Take Pride Town wide [Brochure].
Retrieved from
http://www.plymouthma.gov/Public_Documents/PlymouthMA_townmgr/Report%20Graffiti%20and
%20Litter/Graffiti%20Brochure.pdf
Page 13
Appendices
A: Map of DART stations in Downtown Dallas to be cleaned up
B: Correspondence of DART agreeing to a partnership
C: Correspondence of DDI agreeing to a partnership
D: E-mail flyer sent to employees
E: Online volunteer signup form
F: T-Shirt design (front and back)
G: Tax Write-Off calculation
Page 14
Appendix A
Page 15
Appendix B
1401 Pacific Ave.
Dallas, TX 75202
(214) 749-3278
December 3, 2013
Bilal Moon
2728 Empire Central
Dallas, TX 75235
Dear Mr. Moon,
Subject: Partnership with JONES-BLAIR for a Graffiti Cleanup Project in Downtown
Dallas
After careful consideration, it is my pleasure to inform you that DART has agreed to
your proposal. Your company's willingness to step forward and tackle the issue of
vandalism at and around our rail systems is highly commendable. We would be
delighted to offer our services in order to execute this project.
DART formally agrees to reserve 40 passes on the day of May 10, 2014 at no
charge. These passes will be valid from 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM as requested. To
streamline the process, we will hold these passes at our booth at Union Station. Your
group may collect them upon your arrival.
DART will also provide additional security to accompany your groups on their
mission. This is in tandem with our general security. This security serves two
purposes:
They increase protection for your volunteers.
They can help designate areas of legitimate artwork that should not be
removed.
Furthermore, DART will continue to provide free passes and security personnel for
your follow-up efforts. We will be in constant communication with you as to which
areas need to be addressed.
We look forward to working with you to improve our community. Once again, we
commend and thank you for your efforts. Please see the enclosed map that
highlights the 12 targeted stops for cleanup. Please contact me for any additional
questions or details on the matter.
Sincerely,
Zareed Mustapha
Zareed Mustapha
Page 16
DART Administrative Offices
Community Services
Enclosure
Page 17
Appendix C
2200 Ross Avenue, Suite
Tel: (214) 744-1270
Dallas, TX 75201
4600E
Fax: (214) 744-1986
December 2, 2013
Bilal Moon
2728 Empire Central
Dallas, TX 75235
Dear Mr. Moon,
Subject: Partnership with JONES-BLAIR for a Graffiti Cleanup Project in Downtown
Dallas
Your proposal to remove graffiti from Downtown Dallas falls in line with our core
values. As such, DDI will gladly provide free security efforts from our Downtown
Safety Patrol throughout the course of your project on May 10, 2014. In addition, we
will also enlist our security for your picnic at Reunion Park.
Thank you for reaching out to us on this matter. It is out mission to maintain
Downtown Dallas. It delights us to see businesses in the area aiding in this effort.
Please contact me if there are any additional details or questions.
Sincerely,
Cheryl Barnes
Cheryl Barnes
DDI Clean Team
Page 18
Appendix D
Get Ready to PAINT the Town!
Join us Saturday, May 10, 2014 for our first
voluntary graffiti cleanup in Downtown
Dallas.
Friends and Family
Welcome!
Free Lunch and T-Shirts!
Click Here to Sign Up Online
Page 19
Appendix E
Volunteer Sign-Up Form
JONES-BLAIR Company
Operation Paint the Town
Date: Sat May 10, 2014
Time: 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Location: Meet at DART Union
Station
Come join us, JONES-BLAIR Company, as we attack the graffiti that plagues
Downtown Dallas.
Upon arrival: You will be given your FREE T-Shirt and DART pass
You and your group will travel to four designated spots with moderate to heavy
amounts of graffiti
Pick up a brush and paint away that vandalism
Then enjoy a FREE lunch at Reunion Park for a job well done!
If interested, please fill out the following information.
Thank you for your effort in beautifying our home and yours!
Name
Phone
T-Shirt Size
Employee
______________________
______________________
______________________
XS
S
M
L
XL
2XL
YXS
YS
YM
YL
Yes
No
YXL
SUBMIT
Page 20
Appendix F
Page 21
Appendix G
Calculation for Tax Write-Off
Deduction = (Sales Price – 0.5 * (Sales Price – Cost)) * Gallons of Paint Donated
Deduction = (13.56 – 0.5 * (13.56 - 8)) * 40
Deduction = 10.78 * 40 = $431.20
Note 1: This is calculated as required in IRC §170(e)(3)(B)(i), where the sales price of
the assets donated is reduced by one half of the gain that would have resulted from
sale of the asset (26 USC §170).
Note 2: Sales price calculated using COGS as 59% of sales price.
Page 22
