Big surprise: Wisconsin has a drinking problem. Last month the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel ran a series of articles exposing the sort of drinking culture we have here in Wisconsin, citing the state with the largest percentage of drinkers, of adults who engage in binge drinking and rate of people driving under the influence in the nation.
In response to concerns such as this, Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk recently announced her plans to form the Dane County Coalition to Reduce Alcohol Abuse, amongst several other initiatives poised at dislodging the deeply ingrained drinking culture at the local level. While the aims of such initiatives are respectable, with the economy as it currently is many taxpayers will likely oppose such measures. Rather, Falk should be addressing more urgent matters in Dane County, such as the defunct emergency response center, or putting that money into areas that would help to stimulate the local economy.
Alcohol is deeply ingrained in Wisconsin state culture. Too many people think that it is okay to binge drink three or four nights a week, and too many get behind the wheel of a car after an evening of heavy alcohol consumption. These are just a few reasons that the UW Health led coalition called the All Wisconsin Alcohol Risk Education group was formed fairly recently. Hundreds of thousands of dollars have already been invested in this group, and they too have been doing everything they can to disrupt the alcohol culture we have in Wisconsin.
Does Dane County really need its own alcohol prevention group? Considering many taxpayers have been feeling some financial strain lately, we probably do not need another. If Falk is so concerned about alcohol abuse, why doesn't she simply endorse and support groups like AWARE herself and stop wasting taxpayers' dollars on more of what we already have?
Another of the initiatives that Falk has been pushing targets middle school students and attempts to prevent them from participating in underage drinking. This is justifiable, considering another county program already in place realized that trying to prevent high school students from engaging in underage alcohol consumption was actually too late, and too many students began drinking in middle school.
I can understand why we might try to inform middle school students about the dangers of alcohol, which, in the long run, might actually lower binge drinking and drunk driving rates here in Wisconsin. What I cannot understand is why Falk is trying to do this now.
Drunk driving is terrible, and we should do everything we can to prevent it, but now, considering the current state of the economy, funneling thousands of taxpayers' dollars into this sort of program is ridiculous if not downright absurd. Teaching middle school students about the dangers of alcohol is important, but when there are hundreds of Dane County residents who are having trouble paying the heating bill for another frigid winter, maybe tax dollars can be better spent elsewhere.
Now, it is a well known fact that the Dane County 911 Center has been experiencing its fair share of problems. With another tragic death just a few weeks ago that once again exposed the bumbling emergency response system of Dane County, it is pretty obvious that the center needs some attention. So perhaps instead of pursuing these alcohol initiatives, Falk should instead accept responsibility for the broken 911 Center, and work towards repairing it.
Addressing the 911 Center is a very urgent matter, and Dane County's confidence in its own emergency response center is rather dismal right now. Making it tougher for under aged people to obtain beer, instructing the youth on the dangers of alcohol and cracking down on drunk drivers are all important measures that will no doubt eventually help Dane County and Wisconsin down the line. However, a more pressing concern for the average Dane County resident might be whether or not anyone will respond when we call 911.
Combating alcohol abuse in Wisconsin is important, and we should do what we can to unhinge the negative drinking atmosphere here in the state. However, we can only do what we can in reason, and Falk is endorsing these alcohol initiatives likely to just place herself in a more favorable light with county residents after her failure to repair the 911 Center. At the current time, Falk should be giving us a better 911 Center instead of spending thousands of taxpayer dollars on initiatives such as these.
Ryan Dashek is a junior majoring in biology. We welcome your feedback. Please send responses to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
