Possible Funding Cuts for Huntington Drug and Crime Prevention Program
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Posted: 9:25 PM Feb 19, 2010
Possible Funding Cuts for Huntington Drug and Crime Prevention Program
The Obama Administration's proposed budget for 2011 shows a one-third funding cut in the Weed and Seed initiative. Less money for the community program is causing concern for everyone involved in the Huntington area.
Reporter: Dave Benton
Email Address: dave.benton@wsaz.com
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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- A program that's curbing crime and helping drug addicts in Huntington could get a cut in funding.

The Obama Administration's proposed budget for 2011 shows a one-third funding cut in the Weed and Seed initiative. Less money for the community program is causing concern for everyone involved.

The proposal to cut Weed and Seed funding by more than 30 percent is a concern for the program's director Tim White. He says in one year alone, Huntington had nearly 670 drug arrests and 93 violent crime arrests. During that time, four crime prevention organizations formed and 50 vacant buildings have been boarded up.

"We're seeing them weed out, but we need to complete years two, three, four and five," White says.

Volunteers say it's bad timing for funding cuts.

"We're just starting the seed part of the program, and now the town is starting to understand how it works," Leon White said.

Congress has the last word on the program's funding and will soon hear from community leaders about its success here at home.

Next week, Weed and Seed program coordinators from across the country will meet in Washington, D.C., to speak with representatives about the proposed funding cut.

Latest Comments

Posted by: anon on Feb 24, 2010 at 11:20 PM

as if this program helped???? lol I would love to know the statistics on how many of those 700 arrests are still incarcerated at this time? I bet only a few! Why would taxpayers waste their money on this program only for them to be arrested and released within hours to do the same thing they just got arrested for? I'm starting to wonder why we even waste our money funding a police department & courthouse staff....why pay people to arrest these scums when they are just getting released? we are wasting money taking them to court as well...they just get released or "probation".....and then they violate probation, go back to jail for a few days and then get released again! its like we are just running around in circles...
Posted by: Counselor on Feb 22, 2010 at 09:14 PM

I have worked in the drug rehab system for 20 years and have seen nothing new coming out of these programs. They are all political they hire good old buddies to run them and the majority of the directors know nothing about drug rehab. When is WV gone to stop waisting tax payer dollars on programs that should be good but because of the system they throw our money away.
Posted by: Anonymous on Feb 22, 2010 at 08:14 PM

NOT TO WORRY, SECTION EIGHT HOUSING WONT BE CUT SO YOU'LL STILL HAVE A PLACE TO SMOKE YOUR DOPE.
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