Pubdate: Fri, 11 Apr 2003
Source: Kansas City Star (MO)
Copyright: 2003 The Kansas City Star
Contact:  http://www.kcstar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/221
Author: Benita Y. Williams

OFFICIALS DISCUSS RENEWAL OF SALES TAX TO FUND JACKSON COUNTY'S ANTI-DRUG 
EFFORTS

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.

Commissioners said they would continue to study the issue before 
recommending an election date to the County Legislature, which placed 
issues on the ballot.

A tax renewal already has legislative support.

"I think the Legislature will move quickly to put it on the ballot whenever 
something is presented to us," said Legislative Chairman Dennis Waits. "I 
think everybody on the Legislature is in favor of doing whatever it takes 
to get this going, it's just a matter of the correct timing."

In 1989, Jackson County became the first jurisdiction to have a sales tax 
to fund a broad-based attack on drugs. Voters renewed the tax in 1995; the 
tax expires in a year.

The tax generates between $15 million and $18 million annually for law 
enforcement, drug-treatment and drug-prevention agencies.

Commission records show that the tax has helped about 150,000 students in 
123 schools in Jackson County receive drug prevention training.

The tax also provides more than 4,000 drug treatment slots and pays some 
positions in the Jackson County jail, prosecutor's office, Sheriff's 
Department and in the Kansas City Police Department. Other COMBAT-funded 
programs include drug court and fathering court.

COMBAT officials saw Tuesday's passage of levy increases in the 
Independence and Hickman Mills school districts as good signs for the 
anti-drug tax.

"I was so happy," said Commission Chairwoman Sue LeVota. "It shows that if 
something is for the good of the community, people will pass it."
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MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens