Pubdate: Fri, 15 Dec 2000
Source: Lincoln Journal Star (NE)
Copyright: 2000 Lincoln Journal Star
Contact:  PO Box 81609, Lincoln, NE 68508
Fax: (402) 473-7291
Feedback: http://www.journalstar.com:80/info/about_ljs/letform
Website: http://www.journalstar.com/
Author: Nancy Hicks
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/prison.htm (Incarceration)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hr.htm (Harm Reduction)

LIQUOR TAX BOOST WOULD BENEFIT TREATMENT PLANS

A small increase in the cost of a bottle of beer or a glass of wine could 
provide much-needed treatment programs across the state, according to Sen. 
Jim Jensen, who plans to offer a alcohol tax increase proposal next year.

The proposed tax increase, which would be the first since 1987, would be 
relatively small, said Jensen - 1 cent for a bottle of beer, about 12 cents 
for a liter (about a quart) of alcohol, and 5 cents for a liter of wine.

But the money raised, between $5 million to $7 million a year, would help 
Nebraska provide programs to keep people out of prison and out of trouble, 
Jensen believes.

"The need is great. We've got people who are in jail because they committed 
crimes while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. We are not getting 
them any rehabilitation and no treatment while in prison.

"We don't have the dollars and we are not putting emphasis on that area," 
said Jensen.

The liquor industry opposes the tax increase, according to Walt Radcliffe, 
lobbyist for the Nebraska Wholesale Liquor Association.

"It's a bad, bad, bad idea," said Radcliffe.

"We have hundreds of millions of dollars in surpluses. I think that any 
programs can and should be funded out of the general fund," he said. The 
proposed tax increase would raise beer taxes by about 52 percent, from 12 
cents to about 19 cents for a six-pack, and would raise alcohol taxes about 
15 percent from 79 cents per liter to about 91 cents.

The industry also opposes Jensen's preliminary proposal to earmark the 
additional money for treatment programs, particularly expanded programs for 
people in or headed for prison.

"Traditionally, alcohol taxes have never been earmarked," said Radcliffe. 
"The money has always gone into the general fund."

Both the state's correctional system and local communities have their hands 
out for more money for treatment.

Steve King, planner administrator for the Nebraska Department of 
Correctional Services, said every single person who enters the state's 
prison system has used drugs and 80 percent to 85 percent of the more than 
3,700 inmates have significant substance abuse problems,.

"We know that inmates continue to use drugs while incarcerated," said King, 
based on the Department of Corrections random drug testing program.

And they continue to use when they are released. "Roughly two-thirds of 
parole revocations are drug- and alcohol-related," he said.

Yet the Department of Corrections has limited funding for treatment 
programs and will lose about $1 million in federal funding over the next 
two years, money that pays for the outpatient prison programs, where 
inmates get education and some counseling, and the women's intensive 
inpatient treatment program at York.

Treatment programs do work, King said. The recidivism rate - 2.6 percent 
for the men's intensive inpatient programs and 2 percent for the outpatient 
program - is far less than the prison system's overall 21.6 percent 
recidivism rate, he pointed out.

The state's six mental health regions are also seeking more money for 
community-based alcoholism and drug treatment programs, with long and 
growing waiting lists.

"There is an incredible need for more treatment services," said Jill 
Rubottom, program administrator for Region V Mental Health, Alcoholism and 
Drug Abuse Program

In the southeast region, the waiting list for drug and alcohol treatment 
jumped from 400 to 500 in just three months, she said.

Jensen's first priority for the alcohol tax money is the correctional 
system, and he hopes to find enough money to help with everything from drug 
courts to in-prison treatment.

Two Lancaster County drug courts, one for juveniles and one for adults, are 
expected to begin this spring. The courts would set intense treatment and 
monitoring regimens for defendants with drug abuse problems following 
convictions or pleas in regular criminal courts.

The adult court, expected to cost about $200,000 a year for staff and 
frequent, random drug testing, is scrambling for funding.

State dollars would be welcome, said Lancaster County District Court Judge 
Karen Flowers. She said research shows that drug courts, with treatment, 
intensive supervision and frequent drug testing, "do work," she said.

Jensen, who offered a similar unsuccessful tax hike proposal last year, 
believes that the persistent pressure for additional funding will lead to 
the first alcohol beverage tax increase in 13 years.

"With these dollars we can mandate treatment for those who need it . . . 
and hopefully we will not be recycling them back through (the prison 
system,)" he said.
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MAP posted-by: Terry F