Pubdate: Mon, 02 Jul 2001
Source: MSNBC (US Web)
Copyright: 2001 MSNBC
Contact:  http://msnbc.com/news/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/938

FIGHTING METH CONTINUES TO COST SPOKANE MORE AND MORE MONEY

SPOKANE, WA, July 2 - We're only halfway through the year and police say 
they've already spent more than they ever imagined battling meth. Now it 
could mean sacrifices for you.

86 meth labs have been busted this year so far, which is more than all of 
last year.

And as that number grows, the question of how to pay for the costs of 
fighting meth becomes a bigger issue.  Police have already spent $150,000 
to fight the meth problem this year.  "We can't stop doing it.  It's such a 
hazard to the public and such a priority that we can't stop doing it," says 
Lt. Darrell Toombs.  "But we're going to be seeking other sources of income 
and resources for this."

The question is where to look.  Police and fire take up more than half of 
the city's budget.  Parks, streets, libraries and courts spend another 30% 
or so, meaning there's not much left to draw from.  As a result, the city 
is trying to persuade the federal and state governments to kick in to help 
fight something that's become much bigger than what local governments can 
handle.

"They recognize the problem.  they recognize the consequences," says 
Spokane City administrator Jack Lynch.  "They know that from a social 
perspective and a law enforcement perspective it's too big now to be 
ignored.  They need to partner with us."

The police department says it costs $1,500 for its officers just to suit up 
to go into a lab, and with 86 of them raided this year already and at least 
a hundred more expected by year's end, they hope the money doesn't run 
out.   The police department just received a $7,700 reimbursement for meth 
cleanup, for the first time ever.  The department says that's great, but 
that it'll take much more than that to get a handle on the problem.
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