Williams, Benita Y_ 1/1/1997 - 31/12/2024
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1 US KS: Drug Case Tests Felony-Murder LawSun, 22 Apr 2007
Source:Kansas City Star (MO) Author:Williams, Benita Y. Area:Kansas Lines:148 Added:04/22/2007

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.

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2 US MO: Legislators Approve Drug Court Treatment ExtensionSun, 17 Apr 2005
Source:Kansas City Star (MO) Author:Williams, Benita Y. Area:Missouri Lines:79 Added:04/18/2005

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.

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3 US MO: Drug Court Program Lapses, Leaving Clients UntreatedFri, 15 Apr 2005
Source:Kansas City Star (MO) Author:Williams, Benita Y. Area:Missouri Lines:87 Added:04/15/2005

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.

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4 US MO: County To Use All Drug Tax SurplusSat, 11 Dec 2004
Source:Kansas City Star (MO) Author:Williams, Benita Y. Area:Missouri Lines:76 Added:12/11/2004

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.

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5 US MO: Prosecutor, Drug Tax Auditor Will SpeakWed, 08 Dec 2004
Source:Kansas City Star (MO) Author:Williams, Benita Y. Area:Missouri Lines:62 Added:12/08/2004

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.

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6 US MO: Catching Up On COMBATSun, 05 Dec 2004
Source:Kansas City Star (MO) Author:Williams, Benita Y. Area:Missouri Lines:157 Added:12/06/2004

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.

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7 US MO: Five County Employees Subpoenaed In InquiryWed, 01 Dec 2004
Source:Kansas City Star (MO) Author:Williams, Benita Y. Area:Missouri Lines:96 Added:12/01/2004

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.

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8 US MO: Anti-drug-tax Surplus DebatedTue, 23 Nov 2004
Source:Kansas City Star (MO) Author:Williams, Benita Y. Area:Missouri Lines:37 Added:11/25/2004

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.

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9 US MO: Audit Finished, Not Yet IssuedTue, 16 Nov 2004
Source:Kansas City Star (MO) Author:Williams, Benita Y. Area:Missouri Lines:70 Added:11/19/2004

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.

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10 US MO: $255 Million Budget OutlinedTue, 16 Nov 2004
Source:Kansas City Star (MO) Author:Williams, Benita Y. Area:Missouri Lines:68 Added:11/17/2004

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.

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11 US MO: 'Cloud' Hindering Combat County AuditTue, 09 Nov 2004
Source:Kansas City Star (MO) Author:Williams, Benita Y. Area:Missouri Lines:81 Added:11/09/2004

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.

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12 US MO: County Leaders Clash Over Drug-tax AuditThu, 04 Nov 2004
Source:Kansas City Star (MO) Author:Williams, Benita Y. Area:Missouri Lines:80 Added:11/05/2004

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.

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13 US MO: Cost Of Anti-drug Tax Audit RisesTue, 26 Oct 2004
Source:Kansas City Star (MO) Author:Williams, Benita Y. Area:Missouri Lines:43 Added:10/27/2004

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.

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14 US MO: Review Of Drug Treatment ProposedFri, 13 Aug 2004
Source:Kansas City Star (MO) Author:Williams, Benita Y. Area:Missouri Lines:37 Added:08/17/2004

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.

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15 US MO: PUB LTE: In AfghanistanFri, 13 Aug 2004
Source:Kansas City Star (MO) Author:Williams, Benita Y. Area:Missouri Lines:28 Added:08/17/2004

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]

16 US MO: County Reinstates Some Funds for DARETue, 20 Apr 2004
Source:Kansas City Star (MO) Author:Williams, Benita Y. Area:Missouri Lines:71 Added:04/22/2004

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.

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17 US MO: More Funds Are Sought For DARE ProgramsFri, 26 Mar 2004
Source:Kansas City Star (MO) Author:Williams, Benita Y. Area:Missouri Lines:109 Added:03/27/2004

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.

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18 US MO: Jackson County Asked To Restore Some DARE MoneyThu, 25 Mar 2004
Source:Kansas City Star (MO) Author:Williams, Benita Y. Area:Missouri Lines:110 Added:03/25/2004

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.

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19 US MO: Audit Of Anti-Drug Tax Program UrgedFri, 13 Feb 2004
Source:Kansas City Star (MO) Author:Williams, Benita Y. Area:Missouri Lines:84 Added:02/13/2004

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.

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20 US MO: Low Voter Turnout In Tax Election Worries OfficialsThu, 07 Aug 2003
Source:Kansas City Star (MO) Author:Williams, Benita Y. Area:Missouri Lines:61 Added:08/07/2003

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.

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