Amid a growing heroin and opiate problem in the city, Mayor Paul Soglin announced changes to the 2012 budget. Among the changes, he plans to reduce funding to the Overture Center to offset increased spending to deal with the burgeoning drug problem.
Soglin diminished funds to the Overture Center to $1.3 million from the $2 million Mayor Dave Cieslewicz previously allocated to the venue. Soglin plans to allocate $45,000 of the city's operating budget to fund a police task force on heroin and opiates.
Although this move comes as no surprise to some legislators the budget cuts are disappointing to others, including Overture President Tom Carto. ""We're willing to take a proportional hit like everybody else,"" said Carto, ""but we believe this is disproportional.""
This board understands the frustration coming from the Overture Center offices; however, drug-free streets should take priority in the city budget.
From an economic standpoint, cleaning up our streets is vital to economic success. More people will be willing to come here if our streets are safer, which helps downtown businesses. The point of the Overture Center in the first place was to attract more people to the area, but if downtown becomes a breeding ground for heroin addicts, where's the appeal? No family is going to want to go downtown to see a show if it means subjecting their kids to the repellent world of drugs.
Furthermore, the Madison police have a thorough plan in place to combat the problem. Soglin isn't just throwing money at the issue hoping that it will magically fix the problem. Addressing the problem at the source will help the city prevent future drug problems.
Madison police have identified ""hot spots"" around town that have been determined as popular places addicts ingest heroin. These places include gas stations, fast food restaurants, grocery stores and shopping malls. Police officers will be giving extra attention to these places. By patrolling more often and taking a proactive approach to ending this approaching epidemic, the city will have a better chance of solving the problem and do so at a lower cost.
The bottom line is that this heroin problem could snowball out of control, pushing away businesses and families. Being proactive in crushing this problem should be a top priority. This board recognizes the struggles that the Overture Center will face with the change in the budget, which is why we implore potential donors to continue contributing to the Overture Center. By working together, the city and donors can continue to provide Madison residents with a variety of arts and entertainment in a safe environment.
