Binky
05-18-2005, 10:21 AM
One Would Handle St. Croix, Pierce And Polk Counties
Only days after approving a bill that reduces access to cold medicines used in the production of methamphetamine, a legislative committee on Thursday backed funding for special drug prosecutors, including one for St. Croix, Pierce and Polk counties.
State Rep. Kitty Rhoades, R-Hudson, sought the funding in response to a sharp drop in federal grants that now fund an assistant district attorney who specializes in drug-related cases in the three counties.
The Joint Committee on Finance approved the legislation, which now goes to the full Assembly and Senate.
The bill would make $848,000 available annually to offset federal Byrne Justice Assistance Grants, which will be reduced by 52 percent this year and likely eliminated next year. Wisconsin counties had received $8.8 million in federal funds through the grants, but this year funding was reduced to $4.2 million.
The legislation calls for the state to provide $28,000 to fund the special prosecutor for the three western Wisconsin counties. If federal money is cut entirely, $56,000 annually would be provided to fund the position.
"After hearing the concerns of local district attorneys and other law enforcement, it became clear that this position needed to be kept in place due to the overwhelming number of drug cases in these three counties," Rhoades said.
The state funding would come from penalty surcharges that are a portion of the fines offenders pay. The surcharges are a continuing revenue stream that will allow for the long-term funding of the position.
The money for prosecuting drug crimes follows overwhelming votes Tuesday in the Senate and Assembly for a bill that would prohibit retailers from selling medicines containing pseudoephedrine over the counter except for those in liquid form or gel caps.
Methamphetamine production and use have seen dramatic increases throughout Wisconsin, but especially in western counties. Six counties in western Wisconsin account for nearly half of the meth cases submitted to the state crime laboratory, and St. Croix County leads all others in meth cases.
St. Paul Pioneer Press (MN)
Copyright: 2005 St. Paul Pioneer Press
Contact: letters@pioneerpress.com
Website: http://www.pioneerplanet.com/
Only days after approving a bill that reduces access to cold medicines used in the production of methamphetamine, a legislative committee on Thursday backed funding for special drug prosecutors, including one for St. Croix, Pierce and Polk counties.
State Rep. Kitty Rhoades, R-Hudson, sought the funding in response to a sharp drop in federal grants that now fund an assistant district attorney who specializes in drug-related cases in the three counties.
The Joint Committee on Finance approved the legislation, which now goes to the full Assembly and Senate.
The bill would make $848,000 available annually to offset federal Byrne Justice Assistance Grants, which will be reduced by 52 percent this year and likely eliminated next year. Wisconsin counties had received $8.8 million in federal funds through the grants, but this year funding was reduced to $4.2 million.
The legislation calls for the state to provide $28,000 to fund the special prosecutor for the three western Wisconsin counties. If federal money is cut entirely, $56,000 annually would be provided to fund the position.
"After hearing the concerns of local district attorneys and other law enforcement, it became clear that this position needed to be kept in place due to the overwhelming number of drug cases in these three counties," Rhoades said.
The state funding would come from penalty surcharges that are a portion of the fines offenders pay. The surcharges are a continuing revenue stream that will allow for the long-term funding of the position.
The money for prosecuting drug crimes follows overwhelming votes Tuesday in the Senate and Assembly for a bill that would prohibit retailers from selling medicines containing pseudoephedrine over the counter except for those in liquid form or gel caps.
Methamphetamine production and use have seen dramatic increases throughout Wisconsin, but especially in western counties. Six counties in western Wisconsin account for nearly half of the meth cases submitted to the state crime laboratory, and St. Croix County leads all others in meth cases.
St. Paul Pioneer Press (MN)
Copyright: 2005 St. Paul Pioneer Press
Contact: letters@pioneerpress.com
Website: http://www.pioneerplanet.com/