SECOND THOUGHTS: DOES TRACY DARE CUT THIS PROGRAM?

Drug Abuse Resistance Education - better known as D.A.R.E. - has been
a fixture of local schools for years. I even remember D.A.R.E. coming
to my fifth-grade classroom, complete with posters, worksheets and activities.

Thousands of students have graduated from the program just here in
Tracy. And though it isn't a foolproof way to keep kids drug-free -
just as telling kids "don't steal" doesn't lead to a crime rate of
zero - it certainly doesn't hurt. With many, it undoubtedly helps.

So I got a little shock when I heard that the Tracy City Council will
consider revoking its support of the program.

Because, really, who wants to help kids steer clear of drugs?

Joking aside, this one is truly on the City Council, because the
suggestion didn't come from city staff. As City Manager Leon
Churchill confirmed Thursday, this idea is "council-initiated."

The suggestion comes during a frantic drive at City Hall to make up a
$5 million gap between revenue and expenditures. But cutting D.A.R.E.
would save the city only $60,000. And the true cost could be far greater.

Remember the saying, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of
cure"? It applies here.

Helping kids be aware of drugs at a young age - and giving many the
skills to stay away from forays into "the life" - can save a lot of
money and heartache later on down the line.

So, are they serious? Would the council truly consider cutting a
program that provides real benefits for a relatively small up-front investment?

Apparently.

According to Churchill, the council members in question are concerned
with how the program is administered, including a possible conflict
of interest with Councilman Steve Abercrombie, who has been a
D.A.R.E. educator for 16 years.

It's also come up that, if the city cannot find ways to bring in more
revenue, D.A.R.E. could be one of the programs on the chopping block.

To me, that means either the council is truly considering every
possible way to scrimp and save, or the D.A.R.E. program is about to
be used as a political football to garner more support for a parcel
tax or other revenue-raising measure.

And there could be more to this than meets the eye.

I noted that the idea was raised when Abercrombie was absent. He's in
Southern California teaching (what else?) D.A.R.E. classes.

Furthermore, when I asked him Thursday, Abercrombie said that he has
cleared any potential conflict of interest between his D.A.R.E. work
and his City Council duties.

He added that he's open to any suggestion - including having someone
else lead the program - that would keep D.A.R.E. funded and in local
classrooms. That's not surprising, considering he's so involved that
he's had his Chevy Avalanche painted with the D.A.R.E. acronym.

Regardless of what happens, the fate of the program's city funding
will soon be decided.

On June 15, the council will have to make countless tough calls
regarding the city's 2010-11 fiscal year budget. The final product
will include many cuts, and possibly tax or fee increases.

I hope that the City Council manages to somehow find $60,000 - and a
little common sense - to keep D.A.R.E. teaching Tracy students.