How do we pay for it?
Worcester Telegram and Gazette March 31
BOSTON- Young advocates from Worcester joined peers from around the state yesterday in urging support for budget proposals from Gov. Deval L. Patrick to more than double funding for summer job programs and local efforts to curb youth gang activity and violence………the Governor said the public should not view youth violence as a problem isolated in “bad neighborhoods” and not affecting “good neighborhoods. They are all our children,” he told about 200 people who attended the lobbying meeting. The state will pay more later if they do not help youth today, he said. Rev. Walter R. Tillman of Christ Baptist Church of Worcester said the governor’s comments were right in line with the work the interfaith group is doing in the state’s second-largest city.”The Governor’s commitment to the youth initiatives is very exciting to us. This is what we wanted to hear, that he is increasing funding for youth initiatives, because we believe that prevention is cost-effective for the future,” Rev. Tillman said. “Whether we live in Boston or Worcester, or in some of the suburban communities, these issues impact all of us.”
and then they went on to ask for the government program they thought was necessary ………
The group also called for support for the governor’s proposals to increase funds for Shannon grants, used to pay for anti-gang and anti-violence programs, from $11 million this year to $15 million in fiscal 2009, and an increase from $2 million to $7 million for youth violence prevention programs.
but meanwhile the article reports…..
House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi, D-Boston, said yesterday that even with a new dollar-per-pack cigarette tax and the closing of several hundred million dollars in corporate tax loopholes that he has proposed, the state would still have to curtail expansions of current programs in the budget that starts July 1.
How do we pay for important programs like this?
cross posted on ONE Massachusetts
