National Priorities Come Home to Roost

After 34 years, the Head Start program in Lincoln has closed, due to a reduction in federal funding. It promoted school readiness by enhancing the social and cognitive development of children through educational, health, nutritional, social. and other services and by emphasizing involvement of parents in their children's learning.

Kathleen Randall, director of the Economic Opportunity Agency in Washington County, said finances and a lack of significant funding increases were the main reasons for the closure. She said they have been telling John Boozman and Arkansas’ other congressional representatives for the past few years that more funding was needed. "I believe in this country that when people truly think something is important, it will get money," she said. "When children are truly the most important thing, they will receive everything they need, and they don’t."

Congressman John Boozman (R-Pinnacle Gated Community) has voted for every measure to fund the hostile occupation of Iraq, tax cuts for the wealthy, and more money for highway construction in the federal budget that will grow to a record $482 billion deficit in the next fiscal year. He also voted to reduce funding for Head Start.

You can email Congressman Boozman to thank him for cutting funds for the Head Start program, and you can volunteer in his reelection campaign to show your approval of his funding priorities.