5 MAYORS OPPOSE DRUG-TREATMENT QUESTION

SPRINGFIELD — Five area mayors joined law enforcement officials
yesterday in opposing a ballot question that supports treatment instead of
prosecution for nonviolent drug offenders.

Mayor Michael J. Albano of Springfield, Mayor Michael J. Sullivan of
Holyoke, Mayor Richard A. Cohen of Agawam, Mayor Richard K. Sullivan Jr. of
Westfield, Mayor Richard J. Kos of Chicopee, and Mayor-elect Edward J.
Gibson of West Springfield gathered at a press conference in City Hall.

Albano said the mayors supported the position held by the Massachusetts
Chiefs of Police and the state's 11 district attorneys, including Hampden
County District Attorney William M. Bennett, who also attended.

Passage of Question 8 would change the state's drug laws to allow judges to
send those caught with drugs to treatment rather than to jail.

Treatment would be provided to any nonviolent, non-career criminal who was
considered "at risk" of drug dependency, including repeat offenders and
people charged — with trafficking up to 28 grams of cocaine.

"This would impact public safety and our ability to prosecute gang
members," Bennett said.

According to him, the proposed law would weaken the state laws that provide
automatic prison sentences for convicted drug dealers who carry or use guns.

The Springfield City Council voted 8-1 last night to go on record as
opposed to Question 8. Councilors said they agreed with Bennett that the
ballot question, if passed, would undermine the criminal justice system,
giving drug dealers and repeat drug dealers an avenue to avoid prosecution
by asking for drug treatment.

City Councilor Carol Lewis-Caulton voted against the council resolution,
saying she wanted to gather more information.

Mayor Sullivan of Westfield said the change would place money and property
seized during drug raids in the hands of Boston-area policymakers, rather
than the police departments of Western Massachusetts.

"The money would be sent to Boston, and hopefully they would send some back
to Western Massachusetts," he said. "We've seen their track record on that."

If the law is passed, seized assets would be transferred into a
drug-treatment arrest fund.

Kos said the current system in the arrest of drug offenders allows for
treatment, while the proposed law does not offer innovative approaches in
rehabilitation programs.

Bennett said drug offenders currently are provided treatment through such
programs as Community Corrections, which offers probation, and the Howard
Street alcohol and drug treatment center.

Question 8 has some support from medical professionals and the Coalition
for Fair Treatment, headed by billionaire philanthropist George Soros of
New York.