Cityscape

The future of the city’s DARE program may not be in as big of jeopardy

as it looked.

During this week’s City Council budget session, Mayor Pam Julien

Houchen and Councilwoman Shirley Dettloff both proposed keeping the Drug

Abuse and Resistance Education program in place.

The program has come under the microscope as the city struggles to

figure out how to trim $7 million from its budget to keep the city in

balance.

“[The DARE program] is a positive program in my mind. It promotes

self-esteem and encourages kids not to get involved in gang activity,”

Julien Houchen said.

Huntington Beach’s proposed budget covers the next two fiscal years

2001-2002 and 2002-2003.

City Administrator Ray Silver said staff will concentrate on the

concerns posed by the council during the meeting, including the

elimination of the DARE program as well as reductions in library services

and job cuts in the fire department.

One recommendation posed Monday night was an increase in the arrestee

booking fee to get enough revenue to keep the DARE program operating.

“We need to look at any revenue enhancements we can use so the program

can stay alive. There will have to be some work done in the next week,”

Dettloff said. “Many lives are destroyed because of drug use, so I want

children to be armed with the [information] they need so they will not

[use drugs].”

The council also discussed creating a library card fee and putting in

parking meters at the library’s lot to raise money for library programs.

A public hearing to discuss the budget will be held at 5 p.m. Sept. 4

at the Civic Center. Silver said he expects the council to adopt the

budget at its Sept. 17 meeting.

The total city budget for the 2001-2002 fiscal year is estimated at

$277, compared to a $337 million 2000-2001.