COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. --

Graffiti in Colorado Springs is on the rise, and city park maintenance crews are working to clean it up.  City officials said the northeast part of town is a hot spot for vandalism, but so is North Cheyenne Canyon.

"If I was coming here, from another area, I would think don't they take any pride in this place," Nick Mattorano, a Colorado Springs resident, said.

Maintenance crews spent the day repainting signs and power-washing rock walls full of spray paint.  Through layoffs and attrition the parks maintenance department lost half the staff they had in 2008.

There are now only five people in charge of all the city parks in Colorado Springs, and they're keeping the city clean with a budget of $35,000.  But the yearly budget might not be enough for this year's graffiti.

"We may have to add some more," Tim Pluemer, Maintenance Supervisor for Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services, said. "When I say $35,000 for graffiti removal that also includes vandalism to buildings, new doors, windows and playground equipment. So, it's going to be tough to get it through a whole year."

The smaller staff also means major cleanups happen just once per week. In previous years, one person was dedicated to cleaning up the city every day.