San Jose Considers Offering $1,000 Reward For Tips On Graffiti, Illegal Dumping
SAN JOSE (CBS SF) -- The San Jose City Council on Tuesday is considering $1,000 rewards for residents who report vandalism and illegal dumping in the South Bay.
Josh Rocha isn't just running a business in San Jose. He's also helping to keep the streets clean.
"Couches, tires, refrigerators, entertainment centers…everything. Anything that costs to dump, you can find it," said Rocha. "I got so much. I gotta run a shop and take care of the garbage outside."
Rocha told KPIX 5 if he doesn't call city crews on Tuesday, the pile of trash within a few feet of his business will just get bigger.
"It'll sit there and it'll get bigger and then people start dumping more stuff," explained Rocha.
In fact, KPIX 5 cameras spotted a homeless man making a fire to heat up his food just a few steps away from Rocha's building.
But now, San Jose city leaders say they have a possible solution: a reward program to pay up to $1,000 to anyone who catches illegal dumpers as well as graffiti vandals.
"We're fed up," said City Councilmember Johnny Khamis. "These vandals actually take money straight out of our pockets every year. Hundreds of thousands even millions of dollars every year."
Khamis said although his office gets tips every now and then from witnesses, it's not enough.
"We want to send a clear message that this activity has to stop," said Khamis. "There's actually a fine of a thousand dollars for illegal dumpers, so I think this program will actually pay for itself."
For Rocha, he's hoping the program makes everyone willing to turn in the criminals and join him in the battle to keep San Jose's streets clean.
"I think it'll probably limit the dumping if people are catching them," said Rocha. "Here it's kind of an industrial area, so it's hard to actually catch somebody."
If it passes -- and it is expected to -- the plan would probably start July 1.
The tips will have to lead to a conviction in order for residents to collect the cash.
