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County Executive's Office

County Executive Falk Lobbies Against Proposed Federal Cuts to Dane County Programs

March 06, 2006
Lesley Sillaman, Office of the County Executive (608) 267-8823 or cell (608) 669-5606
County Executive

Madison – Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk today joined representatives from the Rape Crisis Center, Safe Harbor, and Genesis Development Corporation to criticize President Bush’s proposed cuts to the federal budget, which jeopardize drug enforcement programs and preventative help to at-risk kids, programs that help victims and witnesses of crimes and services for elderly victims of crime. The proposed federal cuts total about $4 million dollars in Dane County and take affect in October, 2006. Specifically, Dane County receives federal grants to fund the work of the Interagency Drug Enforcement Group and for staff in the District Attorney’s office who prosecute drug crimes ($210,000). Dane County also receives federal money ($20,000) to help fund the Dane County Drug Court, which keeps holds first-time drug offenders accountable and is very successful at reducing recidivism. The President’s budget proposes eliminating this funding. Dane County also receives money through the Safe and Drug Free Schools ($78,000) program that is used to help support the Genesis Development Corporation’s “Exodus” program that provides community prevention, information and referral and outreach to alcohol and other drug-involved high-risk youth, the County receives a Juvenile Accountability Block Grant ($71,635) that is used to support the Weekend Report Center and Community Restoration Crew programs, which keep juvenile offenders out of expensive jail-like institutions. The President’s budget proposes eliminating this funding. Dane County also receives Victims of Crime Act Grants ($199,000) that fund staff in the District Attorney’s Office to help victims and witnesses of crimes, and to fund staff at Dane County’s Area Agency on Aging ($56,400) to provide services to elderly victims of crime. The President’s budget proposes eliminating this funding. “These cuts severely hurt our ability to fight drug crime, to help victims and witnesses of crimes during the hours they need us most and will hurt our ability to provide services to at-risk young people and elderly victims of crime,” said Falk. “These proposed cuts make our job of delivering needed services while keeping taxes low more difficult.” Last week, Falk spent one day in Washington, D.C. lobbying members of Wisconsin’s Congressional delegation to ask for support for programs that the President proposes cutting. In addition to these important criminal justice program cuts, which total $635,035, the President also propose cutting housing rehabilitation programs, emergency preparedness, airport development and a variety of human services programs, which total another $3,364,965. Attached is a fact sheet that details the proposed federal cuts and the programs they affect. # # #
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