An Omaha city council member wants to take the tools out of the hands of graffiti vandals. His anti-graffiti idea pushes the campaign to a new level.

Under Councilman Garry Gernandt's plan, it would be illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to buy graffiti materials. That includes paint, non-water soluble felt-tip markers and even a type of wide-chalk.

Celio Silvo understands the problem.

Graffiti mars a wall just down the street from his home and he says, "I think it's not good for the neighborhood."

Gernandt agrees.

Showing us a spot that's consistently hit by vandals in front of several homes he says, "Every morning they walk out their front door, they've got to look at this junk."

Gernandt's plan calls for a minimum of 80 hours of community service for graffiti vandals and a minimum of two days in jail for adults.

The proposed ordinance would also put new restrictions on the people who sell certain paint.

Anyone who sells paint or other graffiti materials would have to keep it under constant surveillance or keep it locked up.

Sacks Hardware employee Larry Bassinger has sympathy for victims of vandalism but he's not excited about the work the ordinance would make for him.

He says, "That would take a lot of rearranging for us. It would have a little expense to it. We don't have a lot of room in certain areas where we would store a lot of this."

Gernandt says he thinks most stores that sell paint would already be in compliance and he hopes the plan sends a clear message to vandals.

"You think you've won this battle but you're wrong," he says. "We're going to continue being in this battle... We're going to win"

Under Gernandt's proposal, businesses caught selling graffiti materials to minors would be subject to a $500 fine.