Pubdate: Tue, 6 Jul 2004 Source: Amarillo Globe-News (TX) Copyright: 2004 Amarillo Globe-News Contact: http://amarillonet.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/13 Author: Greg Cunningham Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/tulia.htm (Tulia, Texas) $1.7 MILLION TO GO TOWARD DRUG-FIGHTING Local Officials Working On Plan To Use Money From Drug Task Force Gov. Rick Perry will apparently get his way with $1.7 million in money left over from the Panhandle's now-defunct drug task force. Local officials have decided to get together and work out a plan to use the money - seized over the years by the former task force - to pay for local drug-fighting programs that the governor's office refused to fund. "I talked to (the governor's office), and I don't think they're going to change their mind any," Amarillo Police Chief Jerry Neal said. "We certainly don't agree with this, but it looks like we're going to have to go with what they want." The money in question, known as program-generated income, comes from a seizure account maintained by the Panhandle Regional Narcotics Trafficking Task Force, which was dissolved in May as part of the settlement of the Tulia drug bust suit. The dissolution of the task force obligated Amarillo to turn down $719,938 in grants that had been approved for operation of the task force and funding of area drug programs for 2005. The grants are controlled by Perry's Criminal Justice Division using federal money known as Byrne Grants. In an effort to replace the lost grants, the Panhandle Regional Planning Commission last month asked the CJD to approve an emergency $600,000 grant. The grant was meant to pay for training and equipment to combat methamphetamine labs, as well as a juvenile drug treatment program that has been shut down for two months due to lack of funds. The CJD rejected that application without explanation, leading to an outcry from area leaders who said Perry's office was taking money from the Panhandle. Perry's office responded by saying the intention all along was to have the $1.7 million in leftover funds used to fund drug fighting in the Panhandle, rather than sending money to replace the lost Byrne Grants. "When the task force was dissolved, we could have taken that program-generated income, but that's not what the governor wanted," Perry spokesman Robert Black said. "He wanted that money to stay in the Panhandle to be used by the local entities in fighting narcotics." Unfortunately for the city of Amarillo, that message never seemed to work its way up to the Panhandle. Neal said the CJD originally directed the city to do something quite different, and has now changed its tune about what to do with the $1.7 million. "Initially, we were told to split it up between the agencies that financially supported the task force," Neal said. "It's pretty frustrating that now they're saying they told us something different all along." Black questioned whether the CJD directed that the money be divided among member governments, although the voluntary dissolution of a drug task force is a unique event that could have engendered some confusion, he said. "From the governor's perspective, it's unfortunate that there seems to have been a breakdown in communications on both ends of this situation," Black said. "But the goal now should be to make sure this $1.7 million is put to the best use for the people of the Panhandle. That's why the governor's office is more than willing to work with local leaders to figure out." Black has called for the city of Amarillo, which has immediate control of the money, to work with the PRPC and other Panhandle officials to devise a plan using the money to continue funding drug programs. That's precisely what officials say they will do. "I think it's important for us to sit down and look at the resources that are available and where they can meet needs," said Gary Pitner, PRPC executive director. "It's for the city of Amarillo, along with other financial participants, and the governor's office to make a determination on how those residual resources can be used. We're happy to play a part in helping that process come along." - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin