DARE A VICTIM OF BUDGET CUTS

A Longtime Drug Prevention Program Has Become The Victim Of Budget Cuts By
The City Of Sanford.

Effective June 1, the DARE (Drug and Alcohol Resistance Education) program
will no longer operate in Lee County. The program, which is implemented
through the sheriff's office, consists of an officer who works with
fifth-graders to teach them "about the dangers of drug abuse and ways to
resist temptations, peer pressure and community pressure. Basically, how to
say no," said Lee County Schools Superintendent Barry Aycock.

The program began in 1988 as a part time position handled by the
City/County Drug Unit. Eventually, DARE was taken over completely by the
Sheriff's Department.

The cost of the program is split three ways between the city, the county
and the Board of Education.

The initial decision to no longer fund the program came from the city, however.

"I notified the sheriff last year that we would discontinue our funding
effective June 1," said Sanford City Manager Leonard Barefoot. "If they
want to continue funding it, the money has to come from the county and the
schools."

Barefoot said the city felt it was shouldering too much of the cost.

"City residents pay both county and city taxes," he said "So the city's
share of the cost was too much. Basically, half of the tax money that the
county has comes from city residents. So we're actually paying about two
thirds of the cost. We've never debated whether it's a good program or not.
It's only been about equitable distribution of cost."

Of Lee County's $3.6 billion tax base, Lee County Tax Administrator Roger
Kelly said the city of Sanford provides about $1.6 billion, or roughly 44
percent. He said Barefoot's characterization of the way city funds
contribute to county programs may be unfair, however.

"Sure, the county brings in revenue from city residents," he said. "But I
don't believe the city funds the Board of Education, the Health Department,
Social Services S these are programs city residents use. And I dont think
the city's in on that budget, so it depends how you want to look at it.
There are pros and cons to every story."

As far as the DARE program, County Finance Director Lisa Minter said the
county pays $14,071 per year for the position, meaning the total cost of
the program is $42,213 per year.

According to Aycock, after the city's decision to stop funds came down,
county commissioners and school board members got together and decided they
couldn't afford to fund the program without the city's help.

"Since the school board is funded by the county, what it would boil down to
is the county paying for the position," Aycock said.

So the future remains uncertain for the county's DARE officer, Sgt. Gilbert
Rodriguez.

"It's a disservice to the community to get rid of this program," Rodriguez
said. "(DARE) touches not only the children, but also a lot of the parents.
They've seen the difference we've made for the children."

Rodriguez, who has been with the sheriff's department for seven years and
teaching DARE for three, said he hasn't been told whether he will have a
job after June 1.

"I have not been told," he said. "I know we've been given two positions,
but we don't know what they are. But I haven't been guaranteed anything,
and I haven't been told I was going to be let go. I don't know."

He may be able to continue working, however.

"Sergeant Rodriguez has worked hard in this position," said Chief Deputy
Ronnie Currin of the Lee County Sheriff's Department. "We hope to place him
elsewhere in the department. We've asked the county commissioners for new
funding for the department."

Rodriguez did have some harsh words for city council members and county
commissioners.

"A lot of these politicians talk about how they're against drugs, but yet
they have chosen to disband a program that stands against drugs and can
give our children a chance to resist the drugs and violence," he said.

Representatives from the both the sheriff's department and Lee County
Schools say losing the program is a bad thing.

"We would prefer to keep the program," Aycock said. "The officer has earned
the trust and respect of school folks and students with whom he works. If
the funding was there, I think the position would still exist, and if the
money suddenly appeared it certainly could be revisited."

Currin echoed that.

"We live in a time where people are preaching for cutbacks," he said. "And
some of those cutbacks hurt - they especially hurt our children."

Rodriguez, however, still has hope for the program.

"A lot of parents have yet to have been told (that the program is being
done away with)," he said. "And a lot have of expressed their interest to
me about trying to fight for the program."

While a recent study done at UNC-Chapel Hill has shown the DARE program to
be ineffective, Currin said he doesn't buy into that logic.

"I can't show you where drug use has gone down, but at least we're
educating kids about it," he said.

"It's like saying driver's education is ineffective because there are still
kids who get in vehicle accidents. But does that mean you'll just hand kids
their license when they're 16 instead of teaching them how to drive?"