One of Tacoma’s Most Prolific Taggers Just Got a $32,000 Bill

If you have traveled I-5, State Route 7 or just about any major roadway through Tacoma, you have probably seen the four letters “XCIT” spray-painted across retaining walls, freeway barriers and other public property.

Now, one of the people responsible for making Tacoma’s highways look like his personal canvas has finally been forced to pay for it.

Tony Kim Lim, identified by authorities as the prolific “XCIT” tagger, has paid $32,217 in restitution to the Washington State Department of Transportation. He also spent one day in the Pierce County Jail as part of the resolution of his criminal case, The News Tribune reported.

That is an unusually tangible consequence for a problem Tacoma residents see practically everywhere. Taggers frequently strike faster than public crews can clean up after them, leaving taxpayers to cover the cost while maintenance workers are pulled away from repairing pavement, guardrails, culverts and other transportation infrastructure.

Lim’s legal troubles arose from two encounters with Washington State Patrol troopers in 2024.

On June 1, a trooper reportedly spotted him spray-painting a concrete barrier along the State Route 7 extension from South 38th Street. According to court documents, he was in the process of painting the “X” in an “XCIT” tag when he was confronted.

Authorities said they found a bag containing spray-paint cans, gloves, masks and magnets believed to have been used to prevent the cans from rattling.

Then, on October 14, surveillance cameras captured someone painting another tag along northbound I-5 near State Route 7. Troopers intercepted Lim after he left the freeway through a fence. He was reportedly dressed in black, had red paint on his clothing and gloves, and initially claimed he was simply out for a walk.

A nearby bag contained more spray paint and a mask.

Pierce County prosecutors subsequently charged Lim with first- and third-degree malicious mischief. Washington State Patrol investigators connected him to the “XCIT” signature that had appeared repeatedly on highways and other public infrastructure throughout the Tacoma area.

The $32,217 payment represents documented WSDOT cleanup costs associated with “XCIT” graffiti through June 2024. That means it may not account for every tag attributed to the name—or the full expense of removing graffiti that appeared later.

Although some defenders describe graffiti as public art, repeatedly painting the same four-letter signature on property belonging to everyone is something else entirely. It forces taxpayers to pay for its removal and sends maintenance crews into potentially dangerous locations beside or above moving traffic.

The money also comes from the same maintenance budget used to patch potholes, repair guardrails, clear snow and ice, and keep bridges and highways functioning safely.

WSDOT has previously reported spending hundreds of thousands of dollars annually removing graffiti across Washington. Difficult locations can require traffic control, specialized equipment and substantial employee time—and newly cleaned surfaces are sometimes tagged again within days or even hours.

Lim’s single day behind bars is unlikely to strike many frustrated Tacoma residents as especially severe. But the $32,217 restitution payment is real accountability: The person accused of creating the damage, rather than the public, has finally picked up the bill.

It will not eliminate Tacoma’s graffiti problem. It may, however, remind the next person carrying a backpack full of spray paint that an anonymous signature does not always remain anonymous—and that four little letters can become extraordinarily expensive.

Read a KOMO News background report here.
Report graffiti to WSDOT here.