ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - A St. Louis aldermanic committee gave first-round approval to add $5 million in funding for a new anti-violence initiative in the city.
The Public Safety Committee on Tuesday approved a plan to invest $5 million over three years for Cure Violence. It will head to the full Board of Aldermen next where it could receive final approval. This funding would be added to the $2 million that city leaders set aside last week to help prevent crime in the city.
Cure Violence leaders spoke at City Hall telling aldermen their program can lower shootings and murders by 30% in one year in St. Louis. They say it's because they treat violence as a medical problem, not just a criminal problem.
At that time, Comptroller Darlene Green is against spending more than $2 million.
"Eight million puts all your eggs in one basket," Green said, "Everybody knows that you don't want to put all your eggs in one basket. There are other kinds of programs."
Among the other ways to spend money on crime prevention that Green listed — "more money for police."