Gov. Patrick, like most lefties, thinks money will stop inner-city bloodshed. (Did it ever dawn on him that perhaps values will stop inner-city bloodshed?)
Gov. Deval Patrick and top law enforcement officals are set to launch an uphill battle for an infusion of nearly $27 million to keep youth off the streets, out of gangs and employed in the face of a dismal state budget crunch.Patrick, Attorney General Martha Coakley, Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley and Boston police Commissioner Ed Davis will head the charge tomorrow at a State House rally aimed at state lawmakers who must close a $1.3 billion budget gap by July.
“The state is certainly in a difficult financial situation, as is the city, but I think that this money really will save lives. And in the final analysis, that puts it very high on the list of the priorities for the commonwealth and the city,” Davis said yesterday.
The 1:30 p.m. rally in Nurses Hall, which is sponsored by the Safe Teens/Safe Communities Coalition and the Metropolitan Mayors Coalition, is calling for new money to keep kids out of gangs, find them jobs and offer mentoring, organizers said.
By the numbers, the coalition’s top prevention efforts are:
A $4 million boost to $15 million for anti-gang grants awarded to 34 communities through the Sen. Charles E. Shannon Jr. Community Safety Initiative.
A $5 million increase to $7 million for state Department of Public Health Youth Violence Prevention grants that were introduced last year and awarded to 21 community programs statewide.
A $5.5 million hike to bring spending on public and private jobs for teens to $19.9 million.
Patrick included increased funding for youth jobs, anti-gang grants and DPH violence prevention in his fiscal 2009 budget proposal, a spokeswoman said.
Like his book deal, this is another example of throwing good money after bad.
UPDATE: More from Howie Carr and Joan Vennochi.
