THE WRONG CONSTITUENCY

Important Programs In Marshall County Are Dying, Thanks To Legislators

Remember state Sen. Lowell Barron's self-congratulatory pronouncement that
the recently concluded session of the Legislature was a resounding success?
Let's hope he doesn't have to visit Marshall County any time soon. He might
not get a friendly welcome from folks there who have major reasons to
disagree with him.

That's because Barron, D-Fyffe, and his legislative cohorts undercut
several highly successful programs in that county. At least one of them
could have been paid for with the extra money the legislators gave
themselves for stationery, paper clips, stamps, etc.

A three-year-old drug court, one of the best in the state, has run out of
money and will be terminated. Court records show that of 250 juveniles who
went through its probation and testing program, 150 of them "graduated" by
staying off drugs for more than six months.

Now the program doesn't have the money to pay a licensed therapist to
provide treatment and testing of young people who have made wrong choices -
but can still be saved.

Marshall County, said District Judge Howard Hawk, had been "light years
ahead" of many other counties in addressing drug problems. No more.

Marshall County's domestic violence shelter will close May 31. It has
served 700 women since it opened in 1999. But it, too, has run out of money
from the state.

In Guntersville, the school board is eliminating a preschool program for
4-year-olds - and reviving fund-raisers by parent-teacher groups to pay for
school needs.

The school board had curtailed fund-raisers, but can't afford to help the
schools now. Door-to-door sales by students aren't being allowed, but who
knows what will happen if and when money gets tighter?

Ending the preschool program is particularly tragic, because so many
children at that early age aren't getting the nurturing at home they need.
Good training early helps motivate children and gives them a better shot at
success.

Note that the legislators boosted their expenses by some $325,000. Note
that $207,000 would have kept the preschool open and the fund-raisers
unnecessary.

Now you know what Barron really meant when he called this last session
"highly successful." He meant for the legislators, if not for the people
they serve.