Deaths From Drug Use -- Efforts To Hold Dealers Responsible Are On The Rise A Kansas man faces first-degree murder charges in the fatal overdose of another man in a Hays motel. "This is a product liabilities act for illegal drugs. If you have product liability for legal items, why not for illegal items?" Daniel Bent, a former U.S. attorney in Hawaii who drafted a drug-dealer liability act No one is accusing David Knapp of intentionally killing Frank Brown. [continues 992 words]
Jackson County legislators voted Friday to extend a drug court treatment contract for 45 days, fixing a problem with treatment for some drug-addicted offenders. The extension will give them time to find another agency to handle the program. They also called for an investigation into a bidding problem that contributed to the disruption of treatment. Drug court allows drug-addicted offenders to avoid jail by successfully completing drug treatment. It is paid for by the anti-drug tax, a quarter-cent countywide sales tax. [continues 407 words]
Jackson County legislators will hold an emergency meeting today after learning that drug-addicted offenders are going untreated while the county selects a new agency to run its drug court program. The drug court, which is financed by the county's anti-drug tax, allows offenders to avoid jail by completing drug treatment. But some of the program's 400 clients have gone without regular treatment programs since March 31, when contracts with County Court Services and Addiction Recovery Services ended. A new contract with Swope Health Service was to have begun April 18, but legislators withdrew it Tuesday, saying Swope violated purchasing rules by changing its contract proposal after sealed bids were opened. [continues 400 words]
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. [continues 108 words]
The Jackson County Legislature will allow the auditor examining the county's anti-drug tax to be interviewed by county Prosecutor Mike Sanders. Auditor David Cochran of Cochran, Head and Co. said Sanders had asked to talk to him about allegations that records were destroyed. Cochran said he did not know what information Sanders was seeking. But he said he needed the Legislature, which hired him, to waive a confidentiality agreement with him before an interview with Sanders. "I have no problem speaking with the prosecutor, but I can't reveal my clients' information to anyone without their permission," Cochran said. [continues 299 words]
Trying to follow what's going on with Jackson County's anti-drug tax, but having trouble following all the twists and turns? What began with questions about how proceeds from the anti-drug tax had been spent has moved into other areas, including a wide-ranging federal grand jury investigation and a controversy over missing records. The maze of issues involves scores of county officials, auditors and anti-drug programs. Here is a primer to help sort it out: A. The Community-Backed Anti-Drug Tax, known as COMBAT, is a quarter-cent sales tax that generates money for law enforcement, drug treatment and drug-use prevention programs. It is expected to raise about $19.5 million this year. Voters approved the tax in 1989, and it went into effect in April 1990. Voters renewed the tax in 1995 and in 2003. [continues 952 words]
Jackson County officials confirmed Tuesday that at least five employees had been subpoenaed in an investigation into allegations that records were improperly destroyed. The officials said they had heard as many as nine subpoenas had been issued seeking documents and testimony for a Jackson County grand jury hearing scheduled for Friday. However, county spokesman Ken Evans on Tuesday had copies only of subpoenas served on five staff members. Those receiving subpoenas included finance director Gloria Fisher, records director Robert Kelly and budget administrator Jeremy Willmoth. Kelly and Fisher declined to comment, referring calls to Evans. Willmoth could not be reached. [continues 508 words]
Jackson County Legislator Bob Spence urged colleagues on Monday to continue the anti-drug-tax surplus fund. He said most agencies fail to spend money allocated to them from annual anti-drug tax revenues and did not need additional dollars from the surplus. Spence said that for the past eight years only the county jail and the Kansas City Police Department spent all the money they received, and they did so for only two years. Other legislators favored giving most of the surplus to the agencies. [continues 86 words]
Jackson County Drug-tax Dispute Looms A possible investigation into records-tampering allegations surrounding Jackson County's anti-drug tax could delay auditors from issuing a report. However the county Legislature on Monday approved a $30,000 increase in its contract with the auditing firm Cochran, Head & Co. Auditor David Cochran said that although his firm had completed its audit, he was reluctant to issue findings until the records-tampering allegations investigation was complete. He said the probe could unearth additional records or information that could alter his findings. [continues 282 words]
2005 Plan Wouldn't Include Surplus From Anti-Drug Tax In the continuing controversy surrounding Jackson County's anti-drug tax, County Executive Katheryn Shields said she will not recommend spending money next year from the estimated $5.1 million surplus fund. On Monday, she blamed a lack of direction from the county Legislature for her decision as she proposed her administration's $255.5 million 2005 county budget. The anti-drug tax surplus fund has been a constant source of controversy this year, sparking an ongoing audit of the Community-Backed Anti-Drug Tax, known as COMBAT. [continues 262 words]
The credibility of Jackson County's audit of its anti-drug tax could be tainted unless officials resolve questions over the destruction of records and auditors' access to documents. Auditor David Cochran of Cochran, Head & Co. told county legislators Monday that if the issues were not cleared up, at best he would issue an audit covering 1999 through 2003 with a disclaimer that some records were not available for review. "There's a cloud hanging over the records, and we need to get that resolved," Cochran said. [continues 427 words]
Latest Dispute Involves Padlocked Records Two county legislators stopped just short Wednesday of accusing County Executive Katheryn Shields of interfering with an audit of the county's anti-drug tax. "It's time for this to stop," Ron Finley, chairman of the Jackson County Legislature's Finance and Audit Committee, said at a news conference. "We just don't need this continued, what appears to be, cover-up or a stonewalling of trying to get this (audit) done." Legislator Henry Rizzo, a committee member, joined Finley in his criticism and said, "I think there's been a real breach of the whole system." This most recent dispute was touched off when auditors arrived at the courthouse Wednesday and found that records they wanted to review had been padlocked by a firm Shields said she hired to protect the documents. Finley and Rizzo voiced their concerns at a news conference in which they verbally sparred with Shields, who denied their allegations. The legislators said auditors from Cochran, Head & Co., a firm hired by the legislature, had been denied access to anti-drug-tax financial records. The documents had been locked away by another financial firm hired by Shields this week. Shields said she hired the second firm - Prestia, Vick & Associates LLC - to secure and inventory the documents after an anonymous allegation late Monday that some papers recently were destroyed. She said Cochran, Head auditors still would have access to the records. [continues 381 words]
An audit of Jackson County's anti-drug tax spending will cost more and take longer than expected but review fewer years of the tax. Jackson County Legislator Ronald Finley introduced an ordinance Monday to spend $27,500 more with auditors Cochran, Head & Co. of Kansas City. However, under the proposal the firm wouldn't be required to audit the anti-drug tax back to 1990, the first year the tax was collected. Instead, the audit - which originally was expected to cost $90,000 - would cover only 1996 through 2003. [continues 164 words]
The Jackson County COMBAT Commission voted Thursday to request $42,000 in its 2005 budget to assess the county's drug treatment needs. More than a decade has passed since the county's last treatment assessment, COMBAT program director Jim Nunnelly said. COMBAT - the Community-Backed Anti-Drug Tax - is a quarter-cent sales tax that raises money for law enforcement, drug treatment and drug prevention. Voters approved the tax in 1989 and renewed it in 1995 and in 2003. Commissioners shifted $32,000 for the assessment from proposed spending to hire an outside attorney for COMBAT next year. Acting County Counselor Jay Haden said, however, that money to hire separate counsel for COMBAT, if needed, would be in his office's 2005 budget request. [continues 92 words]
Afghanistan produces about 70 percent of the world's opium. Revenue from opium production helped finance both the Taliban government and the al-Qaida terrorist network. Narcotics have also provided huge windfalls to the leftist guerrillas in Colombia. The White House claims that many terrorist groups are funded by illicit drugs. In Afghanistan, poppy production is up from last year. It seems like the new Afghanistan administration, backed by President Bush, could have eliminated the growing of opium poppies by now. A crop of opium poppies doesn't hide out in the hills like al-Qaida. Now I'm wondering what is really going on there. Are we getting the whole story? Howard Flint [end]
The Jackson County Legislature on Monday voted to restore funding for area Drug Abuse Resistance Education programs to 2003 levels. Without the additional $118,000, police departments said they would have had to cut DARE programs this year. "No one will have to cut a DARE officer or a DARE program," said Legislator Dan Tarwater, the sponsor of the proposal and chairman of the Legislature's anti-drug committee. The additional money will come from the county's surplus fund for the Community-Backed Anti-Drug Tax known as COMBAT. Earlier this year, the amount of COMBAT money given to DARE was cut $231,000, or about 18 percent of the $1.29 million the programs received in 2003. In March, the Legislature restored $112,630 mistakenly cut due to a math error. [continues 273 words]
The Jackson County COMBAT Commission voted Thursday to ask county legislators for more money from the anti-drug tax surplus to help pay for Drug Abuse Resistance Education programs. "I think all of the commissioners are committed to doing what it needs to do to bring DARE funds up to what's needed," said Darrell Curls, interim chairman. The amount of anti-drug sales tax money given to DARE in 2004 was cut $231,000, or about 18 percent less than the $1.29 million the programs received in 2003. [continues 693 words]
The Jackson County COMBAT Commission voted today to ask county legislators for more money from the anti-drug sales tax surplus to help pay for Drug Abuse Resistance Education programs. "I think all of the commissioners are committed to doing what it needs to do to bring DARE funds up to what's needed," said Darrell Curls, interim chairman. The amount of anti-drug tax money given to DARE in 2004 was cut $231,000, or about 18 percent less than the $1.29 million the programs received in 2003. [continues 696 words]
Jackson County Prosecutor Mike Sanders on Thursday called for an independent audit of the county's anti-drug sales tax program because its revenues are expected to decrease this year. The quarter-cent Community Backed Anti-Drug Tax, also known as COMBAT, is expected to generate about $19.5 million this year to fund law enforcement, drug treatment and drug prevention programs. Voters renewed the tax last year. A seven-member COMBAT Commission oversees the programs, and the Jackson County Legislature appropriates money for the programs. Two COMBAT commissioners Thursday said they would agree to an audit. Other commissioners did not return telephone calls. [continues 362 words]
Election officials said Wednesday they were disturbed by the low voter turnout for the election to extend Jackson County's anti-drug tax. Just 8 percent of the voters cast ballots in Tuesday's election over whether to extend the Community-Backed Anti-Drug Tax. Voters overwhelmingly approved the quarter-cent sales tax. For parts of the county outside Kansas City, turnout was 9.09 percent. "It's quite a shock," said Charlene Davis, the Republican director of the Jackson County Board of Election Commissioners. It was one of the lowest turnouts she has seen in 29 years with the board. [continues 289 words]
Jackson County voters on Tuesday extended the sales tax that provides millions of dollars for drug enforcement, prevention and treatment. With all precincts reporting, the Community-Backed Anti-Drug Tax was approved 22,267 to 12,391. COMBAT is a quarter-cent sales tax that has generated between $15 million and $20 million annually to hire more police, teach children the dangers of drugs and give addicts the opportunity to kick narcotics. Tuesday's results will continue COMBAT for seven years through March 2011. Voters initially approved the tax in 1989 and renewed it in 1995. [continues 554 words]
Jackson County voters onTuesday will decide whether to extend the county's quarter-cent anti-drug tax for seven years. The Community-Backed Anti-Drug Tax, or COMBAT, first was approved in 1989 and is set to expire in March 2004. COMBAT expects to raise about $19.8 million this year for law enforcement, drug treatment and drug prevention. Supporters credit the tax with closing drug houses, reforming drug addicts and reducing teen narcotics use. Critics say the continuing prevalence of drugs demonstrates the program's failure. They also question the allocation of money, saying COMBAT spends too much on law enforcement and too little on treatment and prevention. [continues 602 words]
Supporters and opponents of Jackson County's anti-drug tax on Friday debated whether too much tax revenue goes to law enforcement rather than to treatment. On Tuesday, voters will decide whether to renew the Community-Backed Anti-Drug Tax, called COMBAT. The quarter-cent sales tax, set to expire in March 2004, will generate about $19.8 million this year for law enforcement, drug treatment and prevention. Friday's debate took place during the taping of KCPT-TV's Week In Review. The discussion aired Friday evening and will be rebroadcast at 11 a.m. Sunday. [continues 375 words]
The debate over renewing Jackson County's anti-drug tax has focused on whether the effort has gotten drugs off the streets and how the tax money is spent. Voters will decide Aug. 5 whether to renew the quarter-cent sales tax for seven more years. The Community-Backed Anti-Drug Tax, first approved in 1989, expires in March 2004. The tax is expected to generate about $19.8 million this year for law enforcement, drug prevention and drug treatment agencies. [continues 1015 words]
Jackson County officials on Wednesday urged voters to renew an anti-drug tax or witness layoffs of law enforcement officers and cuts at treatment facilities. The officials spoke at a news conference to kick off a campaign in support of the 14-year-old Community-Backed Anti-Drug Tax, called COMBAT. Voters on Aug. 5 will decide whether to renew the tax for another seven years. The quarter-cent sales tax is expected to generate about $19.8 million this year for law enforcement, drug treatment and drug prevention. No organized opposition has emerged to the renewal effort. [continues 321 words]
Jackson County officials sought and received the support of the Kansas City Council on Thursday for the renewal of the county's anti-drug tax. Voters will be asked to renew the Community-Backed Anti-Drug Tax, or COMBAT, on the Aug. 5 ballot. Voters first approved the tax in 1989 and renewed it in 1995. COMBAT raises $15 million to $18 million annually for law enforcement, drug treatment and drug prevention. "You'd have to be crazy to not endorse this tax," Jackson County Prosecutor Michael Sanders said during the presentation. [continues 112 words]
Jackson County's anti-drug sales tax is effective, officials said Monday, and that success will overcome the biggest potential obstacle to renewing the tax -- the ailing economy. "We will have a good education program, and I do believe that the voters do see that this (tax) has been a very good thing," said Dan Tarwater, chairman of the Jackson County Legislature's anti-drug committee. The Community Backed Anti-Drug Tax, COMBAT, is scheduled to expire March 31. It generates $15 million to $18 million annually for law enforcement, drug-treatment and drug-prevention agencies. [continues 415 words]
Efforts are under way to renew a quarter-cent sales tax that funds jackson county's anti-drug programs. On Thursday, the COMBAT Commission, which administers the tax, discussed a renewal vote in August. Some commissioners favored a speakers bureau to explain the tax, and they suggested that recipients of COMBAT funds register voters. Commissioner Dorothy Kennedy noted annual statistics that showed a drop last year in the readmission rate for patients treated by COMBAT-funded programs. "That's something we need to tell people about when we talk about the tax," Kennedy said. [continues 254 words]
The Jackson County COMBAT Commission has temporarily appointed its deputy director to lead the agency, following the executive director's resignation. The commission, which administers the county's anti-drug sales tax, appointed Vicki Boyd as interim executive director for six months. Boyd replaces Tracey Blaylock, who resigned last month after about 21 months on the job. Blaylock attributed her resignation to management differences, and she acknowledged a salary dispute. She said lines of authority were blurred between her and COMBAT Program Administrator Jim Nunnelly, who works for the prosecutor's office. Blaylock said she was left out of important discussions. Blaylock also said commissioners reneged on a promise to increase her salary to $60,000. [continues 136 words]
The Jackson County Legislature resolved a dispute between two competing drug-court treatment vendors by awarding contracts Monday to both businesses. Jim Nunnelly, program administrator for the county's drug tax, which pays for the drug court, called the split contract an experiment but said it was an amicable resolution to the problem. "I'm looking at nothing but positive things," Nunnelly said. "We've got the best of all worlds. Taxpayers can see two (treatment) providers at work. It enhances competition." [continues 348 words]
A lawsuit accusing the Jackson County Legislature of illegally awarding a drug court treatment contract was dismissed today. The current vendor, County Court Services, dismissed its lawsuit after action by county legislators on Monday. They voted to have five new outside evaluators re-examine bids from County Court Services and another vendor, Addiction Recovery Services Inc. The legislators also agreed to extend the contract with County Court Services during the re-evaluation process. Officials expect to resolve the matter by the end of February. In November, the legislature gave the contract to the low bidder, Addiction Recovery. However, two outside evaluators had given Addiction Recovery's bid failing marks while giving high marks to County Court Services. [end]
The Jackson County Legislature voted 6-2 Monday to let new outside evaluators examine contract proposals for the drug-treatment services, which sparked a recent lawsuit against the county. Legislators also agreed to rescind a contract with a new vendor and spend up to $124,120 to continue the drug-treatment services of County Court Services Inc. during the re-evaluation. They said they expected to have the matter resolved by the end of February. The move came after eight legislators and County Executive Katheryn Shields held a closed meeting with attorneys to discuss the lawsuit. The ninth legislator, Dan Tarwater, was out of town. [continues 347 words]
Jackson County Drug Court operated normally today, following a dispute over the contract regarding drug-treatment services. The contract with the new vendor, Addiction Recovery Services Inc., was put on hold Tuesday when Jackson County Executive Katheryn Shields issued an emergency purchase order for $44,500 to continue paying the current drug-court vendor, County Court Service Inc. Shields' order came after County Court Services sued the Jackson County Legislature, alleging it had illegally awarded the treatment contract to Addiction Recovery, which was the low bidder. However, outside evaluators gave higher marks to County Court Services. In its lawsuit, County Court Services had asked for a restraining order to stop the contract with Addiction Recovery. However, a court hearing on the matter was tabled after Shields issued her order. [end]
Jackson County Legislator Dan Tarwater said Thursday that he would not ask to rescind a drug-treatment contract that has sparked a lawsuit against him and the County Legislature. "If someone sues you over something and you back down, then everyone will sue you over everything," said Tarwater, head of the Legislature's anti-drug committee. In its lawsuit, County Court Services Inc., a current contractor, alleges that the Legislature illegally awarded a new contract to Addiction Recovery Services Inc. in November. County records show that outside bid evaluators gave Addiction Recovery's bid failing marks and gave high marks to one from County Court Services. [continues 387 words]
Missouri appeals judges were clear in a recent decision in a Ray County drug case: A judge cannot sentence a defendant whose case has been dismissed, even if the person had pleaded guilty. The three-judge panel of the Missouri Court of Appeals in Kansas City issued a decision March 12 overturning the conviction of Richmond resident Russell D. Kilgore. Kilgore pleaded guilty in 1998 in Ray County to manufacturing methamphetamine, a charge he now denies. But before Kilgore was sentenced, prosecutors dismissed the case. [continues 527 words]
Sellers tout it as a safe drug. Kids think it's no big deal. Police say they're wrong. "Ecstasy is the LSD of the new millennium," said Capt. Jim Pruetting, commander of the Kansas City Police Department's drug enforcement unit. The drug can lead to depression, fatigue, dehydration and long-term kidney, liver and brain damage, he said. Police say people have died from dehydration after taking the drug. "This is illegal for a reason. ... You are pushing your body beyond its natural limits," Pruetting said. [continues 847 words]
She testifies that he admitted role in drug slaying Joel Hopkins just had to tell someone how he helped kill Michael Davis, according to Linda Bascone, Hopkins' former girlfriend and a witness during the second day of Hopkins' trial. Bascone blotted her eyes Tuesday as she cried while testifying in Platte County Court that Hopkins had told her about killing Davis on May 4, 1997. Bascone said Hopkins and another man, Steven Masden, killed Davis in the basement of a house in Independence. Masden was convicted of murder in the case last year. [continues 344 words]
