We complained about graffiti on the terrazzo in front of Clifton's Cafeteria in late February. The City's 3-1-1 service responded immediately:
"On behalf of the City of Los Angeles, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and your City Council, thank you for contacting 3-1-1 to report graffiti in your neighborhood.

According to the contractor servicing the area, the graffiti removal (1800679) you requested on Feb 27, 2013 at 648 S BROADWAY was removed on Feb 28, 2013."

Today we stopped by and saw that the graffiti was not removed at all. Lightened, perhaps, but still very visible. The contractor falsely told the City that it had removed the offending marks–and charged the taxpayers for the work. Meanwhile, the most beautiful sidewalk in Los Angeles is still smeared with black scrawls. It makes us very sad.