A sound investment for Carson

Now that they have a chance, Carson City supervisors should take advantage of a bit of good fortune to give money to some groups working to prevent youth violence.

Mayor Ray Masayko has suggested spending $77,000 from an unexpected surplus in city funds to help the organizations. We can think of no better use for the money.

The seven Masayko has in mind:

- A Secret Witness program at Carson High School, $5,000

- Nevada Hispanic Services, $17,000

- Mentoring 2000 Task Force, $30,000

- Boys & Girls Club of Western Nevada, $11,000

- Public information campaign through City Manager's Office, $5,000

- Hispanic Leadership Academy, $7,000

- Parents education workship through Nevada Hispanic Services, $2,000.

As Masayko points out, law enforcement does a better job of responding to violence than preventing it. The gesture of providing $82,000 to the sheriff's office last fall was a stop-gap measure.

What Carson City needs is long-term programs that show our children there are alternatives to gang lifestyles and the cycle of violence they promote. If an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, then Carson City needs to help build these programs.

Of course, it's not city government's responsibility alone to take the initiative.

That's why we welcome the efforts by groups like Nevada Hispanic Services, the Mentoring 2000 Task Force and the Boys & Girls Club to find their own solutions.

The supervisors will be looking at putting some of their surplus in the bank for a rainy day. That's good advice, too. But we think these efforts to curb youth violence are a sound investment as well.