H.R. No. 506 R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, The dramatic rise in drug trafficking and associated 1-2 violence and crime has created a new "terrorism," holding our 1-3 neighborhoods and our children's futures hostage; drugs do not 1-4 discriminate on the basis of age, race, nationality, or sex, and no 1-5 income level is immune; and 1-6 WHEREAS, Further escalating the fear of being a victim is 1-7 the creeping realization that this new terrorism is a strain 1-8 stubbornly resistant to "normal" solutions of increasing police and 1-9 security, strengthening prison sentences, and providing greater 1-10 isolation and stiffer penalties; and 1-11 WHEREAS, Taylor, Texas, and "The Line" were long known as the 1-12 drug capital of Central Texas, and open-air drug selling was 1-13 common; and 1-14 WHEREAS, On April 12, 1994, citizens of Taylor from all walks 1-15 of life, white, black, brown, old, and young, became fed up and 1-16 joined with their police department, housing authority, and others 1-17 to take back their neighborhoods by creating Turn Around Taylor; 1-18 and 1-19 WHEREAS, Members of Turn Around Taylor marched weekly on drug 1-20 areas and by the members' marching, the buyers and sellers are 1-21 being run out of town, and the buildings that were their havens 1-22 have been torn down by the Texas National Guard; and 1-23 WHEREAS, The Texas National Guard, Company E, 111th Engineer 1-24 Battalion of the 49th Armored Division, and Waste 2-1 Management/Longhorn Disposal donated their time and services to 2-2 demolish and remove 26 crack houses; and 2-3 WHEREAS, Turn Around Taylor is a prime example of Texans 2-4 having pride in their communities and the independence to not wait 2-5 on government or someone else to do the job for them; and 2-6 WHEREAS, Turn Around Taylor has succeeded on its own, showing 2-7 that success is not dependent on money and government support, 2-8 which in fact can be detrimental; and 2-9 WHEREAS, Turn Around Taylor has dropped overall crime 56 2-10 percent and violent crime 82 percent in targeted areas, and a new 2-11 spirit has taken hold; neighborhoods are no longer controlled and 2-12 victimized by dealers, and neighbors have changed from fearful 2-13 victims to fearless victors; in short, "they have met the hero and 2-14 he is them"; and 2-15 WHEREAS, A targeted confrontation, mobilization, and 2-16 education process led by neighbors in conjunction with law 2-17 enforcement and others has proved effective in reducing trafficking 2-18 and lowering crime and violence in neighborhoods; and 2-19 WHEREAS, To spread Turn Around Taylor's success, Governor 2-20 George W. Bush has created Turn Around Texas in partnership with 2-21 the attorney general's office, the Texas National Guard, Waste 2-22 Management, and the U.S. Department of Justice; now, therefore, be 2-23 it 2-24 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives, of the 74th 2-25 Texas Legislature, commend and congratulate Turn Around Taylor, the 2-26 City of Taylor and its citizens, the Taylor Police Department, and 2-27 the Taylor Housing Authority for their dedication and commitment in 3-1 taking back their neighborhoods from drug trafficking; and, be it 3-2 further 3-3 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives, of the 74th 3-4 Texas Legislature, recognize the members of Turn Around Taylor as 3-5 the true heroes in the battle against drugs and crime.