La Mesa is about to waste a quarter of a million dollars painting the street, instead of repairing the streets at the corner of Baltimore Drive and Lake Murray Boulevard—funded by federal pandemic relief dollars. 

That’s right, $250,000 of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money is being allocated to paint over existing crosswalks with murals, while local businesses and residents still struggle with the lingering impacts of COVID shutdowns and the riots that devastated small businesses in our community.

One La Mesa resident put it plainly on social media: “I have lived on this street my whole life, my neighborhood is beautiful as it is.” Another echoed the common-sense sentiment: “Put murals on walls, not on streets.” And another resident summed it up best: “This is about as un-La Mesa as it gets.”

Federal ARPA funds were meant to help cities recover from the pandemic, not bankroll expensive art projects no one asked for.

According to federal guidelines, ARPA money should be used for:

Responding to public health and negative economic impacts of the pandemic.

Providing premium pay to essential workers.

Covering government revenue losses due to COVID-related shortfalls

Nowhere in the funding rules does it say, “Paint over perfectly functional crosswalks with street murals.”

Let’s be clear: this is not just a wasteful expense; it’s a potential public safety hazard. These street murals can distract motorists, create slippery surfaces for pedestrians and cyclists, require costly ongoing maintenance, and quickly fade and crack—leading to even more taxpayer dollars spent on repairs.

Meanwhile, businesses in La Mesa Village—many of which faced the dual hardship of COVID closures followed by riot-related damage—could have used this funding to rebuild and recover. Instead, city officials are squandering federal relief dollars on what amounts to little more than street graffiti.

Across the country, crosswalk murals have been used to push political and social messaging, dividing communities instead of uniting them. Murals can sometimes reflect a style or theme that doesn’t resonate with the community, leading to resentment rather than a sense of pride.

Is that the direction La Mesa wants to go?

Our city received over $7 million in ARPA funds. Every dollar should be spent on projects that serve residents, improve infrastructure, or help small businesses—not on vanity projects that benefit a handful of artists at the taxpayers’ expense.

La Mesa deserves better. If you agree that spending $250,000 on street murals is a misuse of funds, speak up. 

Let your city officials know that taxpayer dollars should go toward real community improvements—not paint on pavement.

Amy Reichert is a community leader, government watchdog and chairwoman of Restore San Diego. Follow her at @AmyForSanDiego on X and Instagram.