Editorial

When it comes to cutting budgets, we are well aware that there should

be no sacred cows -- that’s a basic staple of doing business.

And when it comes to the taxpayers’ money and city budgets, we agree

that every program, every bit of money spent, every pet project should be

examined and the effectiveness or necessity questioned.

If a program or expenditure withstands the test of that scrutiny it

deserves to survive.

The Drug Abuse Resistance Education program, commonly known as DARE,

should be no different.

It’s hard to question the motives of DARE, in which uniformed police

officers teach elementary schoolchildren of the dangers of marijuana,

cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin and other drugs.

But what has been questioned in the past is DARE’s effectiveness. Does

it really deter children from drug abuse? Is the money spent, about

$250,000 in the case of Huntington Beach, worth the results.

Those are good questions and several studies have shown that DARE’s

track record is not exactly stellar.

So, with the city of Huntington Beach looking to pare down department

budgets by 5%, it’s only fair that DARE proponents come up with good

answers.

Likewise, before DARE falls victim to the budget knife, we believe

city officials need to make a good case that it is not worth the money.

In these days of rising costs and uncertain economic growth, saving 5%

is a smart move. But officials need to make sure that the extra money

doesn’t come at the expense of keeping a young child away from the

dangers of drugs.

Because the opposite of that is a price none of us want to pay.