Governor Tom Vilsack today (Monday) brought in union officials, including those who represent sheriff’s and fire fighters, to tout his plan for the state to spend more on preschool programs. Vilsack said he wants to make sure people understand that it’s not just teachers concerned about early childhood education. He says people “on the front lines” fighting meth, other drugs, and crime, who understand its importance. Vilsack said the law-enforcement and fire officials who came today have to deal with the consequences of not doing enough for kids in early childhood. He said “They are the ones who have to arrest the y9ung people who make the mistake of taking methamphetamine or other drugs, they are the ones who have to clean up for the methamphetamine labs.” John Thomas, a deputy in the Dallas County Sheriff’s department, says preschool can help lay a good foundation for kids. “By initiating plans like this, we’re going to reduce the workload on law enforcement down the road in both in juvenile delinquency and in adult delinquency, allowing law enforcement the opportunity to deal with more serious crimes,” Thomas says. Thomas says among the young people he’s arresting at 12 for selling their Ritalin at school or at 18 for making meth, there’s a common theme — they didn’t get a good start at an early age. Vilsack was also joined by representatives of the Teamsters Law Enforcement League and the Fire Fighters Association, as well as other unions like AFSCME. He hopes their presence shows legislators he’s serious about his 39-MILLION dollar request for preschool programs. But the Iowa Senate last week had an opportunity to endorse Vilsack’s 39-MILLION dollar spending plan and failed to do so. “Until we’ve had an opportunity to talk about this, I’m not sure that we can suggest that the battle’s been lost,” he says. “I think the battle’s just beginning and I wouldn’t even characterize it as a battle. I’d characterize it as a dialogue and a discussion that has to take place.”
