END FUNDING OF DARE FAILURE, SAVE MONEY

During the recent budget meetings, the Carpentersville Village Board spent
many hours reviewing the 2002 village budget, a budget that will increase
spending by more than 18 percent.

The board had the opportunity to save the taxpayers $69,074, but decided
instead to fund a program that has been a failure since its inception.

The program in question is the Drug Abuse Resistance Education Program (DARE).

There are many critics of this program who have been saying for years that
the program is ineffective and a waste of taxpayer dollars. However, only
recently, the people who head the DARE program nationwide have admitted
their program is a failure. It does not work.

Only government would keep funding a program that is a self-admitted failure.

At the very least, the program should be discontinued until DARE officials
can give concrete evidence that the program works.

I have heard the liberal argument that if the program "keeps just one kid
off drugs, it is worth it."

If the program keeps only one kid off drugs it is a failure and should be
scrapped.

DARE cannot even make the claim that it has kept one kid off drugs. Some
studies have shown that the program actually encourages drug use.

Why is the village paying for this program? Why hasn't the press asked the
tough questions of our public officials?

Trustees should have to explain to the taxpayers why they are funding a
program that does not work. Where is the accountability?

The board should de-fund this failed program and reassign back to the
street the full-time police officer dedicated to this failed program.

The board voted to hire three more police officers, costing the taxpayers
an additional $192,222. I say de-fund the failed DARE program, hire two
police officers and save the taxpayers $69,074.

John Noverini

Trustee

Carpentersville