Letter to the Editor: 'Free money'?
BY Jerry Glenn, Broken Arrow
Sunday, January 27, 2013
1/27/13 at 7:16 AM
Tulsa World Associate Editor Julie DelCour ("Congress needs to reauthorize violence protect act," Jan. 13) describes the tragic deaths of the four women in the high-crime area near 61st Street and Peoria Avenue.
She says problem might be much worse without continued federal funding. However, the federally funded program may not be working well.
In the minds of many, it is best to send money to Washington, get much less back and the funds coming back are "free money." The point, Tulsa is probably, on an average basis, better equipped financially than most similar-size areas in the U.S. to handle our needs.
So why is the addition of more regulation at the federal level, more bureaucrats at the federal level, a better plan than taking care of it within the state or city involved?
In many ways, it is just a means of wasting funds that could be directed to the problem, perhaps with improved results.
It isn't that some federal and state agencies are not needed. In my own case, I have been or am involved in government activities. This included the military, FDA, EPA, Department of Labor, NFPA, Texas Board of Natural Resources, Department of Energy, and so forth. For example, the EPA works with the Department of Labor in Oklahoma and then, through private or public businesses or individuals to deal with environmental safety (including asbestos) in schools. Much of the federal involvement isn't needed and some of the state government involvement could be reduced.
Editor's note: The DelCour column was about Congress' failure to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act.
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