Parents in Chicago better hide the spray paint and markers, or they might end up paying big.

City Council's police and fire committee on Thursday approved a measure holding guardians responsible for a minor's vandalism.

The provision, proposed by Mayor Richard M. Daley, must now be approved by City Council on July 19.

"Graffiti in my opinion is an epidemic," Ald. James Balcer said at Thursday's committee meeting.

Currently vandals may be fined up to $750, forced to pay clean-up costs and sentenced to 30 days in jail or 1,500 hours community service.

The mayor's proposal shifts responsibility to parents of young vandals and caps their fines and clean-up costs at a total of $3,000.

"I think [the fine] would get any parents attention," said Ald. Isaac Carothers, the committee chairman.

Though Ald. Robert Fioretti said he worried  the community service clause in the amendment was unconstitutionally vague, the proposal ultimately passed unanimously.

Carothers said the clause allows officials handling vandalism cases to exercise their judgment, but isn't overly vague.

"If we are on solid ground we won't worry about it," Carothers said about the provision.

In other business, the committee approved Tony Ruiz as the new Executive Director of Emergency Management and Communications.

Ruiz, nominated by Daley, worked for OEMC for almost 16 years before taking a top post with the city Streets and Sanitation Department in 2005.

The committee also voted to give $1.3 million to the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition authority to install security cameras at Navy Pier.