The East Honolulu community canceled a graffiti cleanup last weekend because much of the work already had been done in the days leading up to it. Volunteers from the area, weary of seeing schools, freeways and private property defaced, had taken paintbrush in hand without any organized prompting and set things right on their own. Residents from other communities are doing the same.

Initiative like this is great to see, but improvement won't last long without official reinforcement in the form of tougher penalties for graffiti vandals. Right now, there is little to deter taggers armed with spray-paint cans.

Efforts are being made, but it's still not enough. A third graffiti offense in five years is now a misdemeanor, punishable by jail time and a $2,000 fine.

That's a start, but consequences should be imposed with the first offense. A rising scale of fines could be assessed with each offense in addition to a cleanup requirement, ideally painting over graffiti. Anyone unable to pay the fine could do extra community service.

City officials also could establish a hot line for graffiti reports, such as those dialed by California residents, who see tagging gone within hours.

Volunteers who pitch in against graffiti deserve support — through measures aimed at keeping the problem in check.