Pubdate: Sat, 11 Dec 2004
Source: Kansas City Star (MO)
Copyright: 2004 The Kansas City Star
Contact:  http://www.kcstar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/221
Author: Benita Y. Williams, The Kansas City Star

COUNTY TO USE ALL DRUG TAX SURPLUS

The Jackson County Legislature has approved a $263.2 million budget
for 2005 that will spend the county's entire $5.1 million anti-drug
tax surplus fund. By spending the entire surplus, the county will be
able to give $25 million next year to anti-drug programs.The county
gave those programs more than $26 million in 2004. Most of the funding
reduction is due to one-time expenses in 2004, including capital
improvements at the jail and court computer upgrades. "We were .
shorter (for 2005), but by working out the numbers, by moving some
things back to the general fund, we were actually able to increase
every line-item for anti-drug from the 2004 budget to the 2005
budget," said Legislator Dan Tarwater, chairman of the anti-drug
committee. "That was not easy." But spending the surplus next year
could mean less money for anti-drug programs in 2006. The surplus
comes from agencies not spending all the money given to them from the
anti-drug sales tax, and when the tax generates more money than
expected. "We expect some amount in the surplus, but not another $5
million," county spokesman Ken Evans said. "There will be less to work
with." During budget hearings this year, Tarwater said spending the
surplus was in line with a 1995 county resolution to deplete the
anti-drug surplus fund by 2001. Tarwater argued that the resolution
reflected the intent of voters who renewed the anti-drug tax in 1995.
Prosecutor Mike Sanders and County Executive Katheryn Shields debated
during the hearings over how to spend anti-drug tax and other county
money. The hearings culminated Thursday with an almost 7 1/2-hour
session involving public testimony, a standing-room-only audience,
last-minute negotiations and painstaking line-item transfers. County
officials on all sides of the debate said they were pleased with the
outcome. "This is my 11th budget," Shields said. "People expressed
concerns that we wouldn't get a budget, but I assured everyone that we
always get a budget. . Not everything I want, not everything the
Legislature wants, but compromising between that, it's beneficial to
the citizens of Jackson County." Legislature Chairman Scott Burnett
said: "I feel good about it. . The county executive was exemplary in
her work and her cooperation. . All of the department heads and the
prosecutor all worked together and I think we came up with a good
budget that covers all the important areas of the county." Overall,
the county's 2005 budget is about $19.4 million less than this year.
The decrease was caused in part by a drop in capital improvement
projects. The 2004 budget included a $6.1 million renovation of the
downtown courthouse that is nearing completion. However, the 2005
budget includes $1.5 million in capital projects, $5.6 million in road
and bridge improvements and $900,000 for the county's general
information mapping system. The sheriff also will receive an overtime
increase for deputies to begin taking concealed-weapons license
applications. Increases to Sanders' budget will pay for a new
white-collar crimes unit support staff, additional prosecutors for
domestic violence and a child-abuse prosecutor who previously was paid
from a now-expired federal grant. The increase for the prosecutor will
come from general fund dollars shifted from the corrections
department, which Shields oversees.

The cuts at the jail will be restored from the anti-drug tax surplus.
Shields, Sanders and the legislators signed an agreement that the
public safety needs at the jail and prosecutors office were
"overwhelming" next year and that the jail needs expenses to be paid
from the anti-drug tax. The pact cited a 2001 study showing 80 percent
of incoming county jail inmates tested positive for illegal drugs.

First glance

. Jackson County's $263 million budget will use all of the county's
$5.1 million anti-drug tax surplus fund. . That could mean less money
for anti-drug programs in 2006.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Derek