LEWISTON – A plan targeting graffiti is a step in the right direction, but councilors said Tuesday it might need more work.

Councilors voted 5-2 Tuesday to ratify Mayor Larry Gilbert’s anti-graffiti initiative, granting amnesty to painters through Sept. 1 and boosting punishments afterward. They’ll take the issue up again Sept. 4, and will refer it to the Downtown Neighborhood Task Force for study.

The plan gives graffiti artists a dedicated wall to paint on, forgives them for past mistakes if they stop painting anywhere else, and increases fines for people who continue to break the law.

“We’ve had people say we’re being too lenient on the kids, and others say the fines are too tough,” City Administrator Jim Bennett said. “We’ve seen a lot of different philosophies come out from this, but I think it’s a good balance and step in the right direction.”

Graffiti muralists will agree to perform eight hours of community service and to paint only on the designated wall, behind the 12-Hour Club at 120 Lisbon St. Anyone who signs up for amnesty gets the same deal – forgiveness for past graffiti and the right to paint on the mural wall.

The 12-Hour Club will monitor the wall, and any markings advocating sex, drugs, alcohol or racial or other slurs will be painted over.

Anyone caught spraying graffiti anywhere else in Lewiston after that will pay heavy fines. First-offense fines will be $500; second offenses will result in a $750 fine; and any offenses beyond that will bring a $1,000 fine.

“My issue is with the amount of the fines,” Councilor Stavros Mendros said. “People who want to break the law will figure out how to do it. But the kid who spray-paints a political message out of anger, they’ll be the ones getting caught and they’ll be the ones paying the fines.”