LEGISLATORS -- NO DRUG REFORM WITHOUT CASH FOR TREATMENT

Lawmakers Said The Governor Must Endorse An Infusion Of Money Before They
Consider New Drug Laws

SANTA FE -- Gov. Gary Johnson is under pressure from the Legislature to
come up with the cash for drug-treatment programs if he expects the rest of
his drug-policy reform package to see the light of day.

Some senators said today that the price tag they'd like to see for drug
treatment programs is at least $40 million.

"As interest grows in this debate regarding prevention, intervention and
treatment, . . . I hope that people on this floor really start putting the
money where their mouth is," Sen. Manny Aragon, an Albuquerque Democrat, said.

One of Johnson's top aides said Monday that legislators have made it plain
to the governor that he must prove he is serious about treatment and
prevention by pumping money into programs.

Otherwise, legislators who are already cool to most of the governor's ideas
on drugs will not budge on his package of drug bills.

"Basically they're saying, 'Show us the cash and we'll show you movement on
the bills,'" said Dave Miller, the governor's legislative liaison.

Thus far, lobbyists hired to pitch the governor's package to legislators
have had a difficult time lining up sponsors for many of the bills, Miller
said.

A bill dealing with the medical use of marijuana is expected to be
introduced this week. But the rest of the package is in limbo until
legislators find out more about Johnson's plans for treatment programs.

Even the governor's top legislative ally on the drug issues was critical
today of the lack of money for treatment.

"We can make a dent in this problem," Sen. Cisco McSorley, an Albuquerque
Democrat, said. "But we can't do it without treatment money. So far we
haven't gotten word from the governor's office about money."

Administration officials are putting together a package of about $5 million
- -- likely in the form of a bill -- they hope will meet legislators'
concerns, Miller said.

Johnson was featured Monday on the ABC News program "Nightline" for his
drug-reform efforts.

The show dealt specifically with efforts to stem the number of heroin
overdoses in Rio Arriba County.

After taping the show Monday afternoon at the Roundhouse, Johnson told
reporters that he has turned much of the lobbying for his drug plan over to
former Democratic Gov. Toney Anaya and state Republican Party official
Mickey Barnett.

"You know we've really left this strategy on this to Toney Anaya and Mickey
Barnett," Johnson said. "And although we're working with them, a lot has
been invested in them, and we're trying to follow their lead."

Anaya and Barnett, both lawyers, were hired as lobbyists recently by the
Center for Policy Reform, a nonprofit group affiliated with the Lindesmith
Center for Drug Policy Reform.

The Lindesmith Center has played a central role in Johnson's efforts to
reform New Mexico's drug laws, including an idea to decriminalize the
possession of small amounts of marijuana.

Johnson has warned in the past that he would resist legislative efforts to
pour money into treatment programs if his reform ideas were not part of the
package.

But Miller said that administration officials, including Health Secretary
Alex Valdez, have come up with a model for treatment programs that will be
presented to Johnson this week. If the governor gives the OK to that plan,
it will then be pitched to leery legislators, Miller said.

Rep. Mimi Stewart, an Albuquerque Democrat, said Johnson must do more than
promise treatment programs in order to sell his ideas. She said she told
Johnson last week that he must convince Republicans to buy in to the bills.

Republicans have been the staunchest critics of drug reform. Stewart said
she was hammered in the fall election for voting against a Republican
memorial meant to distance legislators from the governor's support for
legalizing drugs.

"I wanted to point out how hypocritical the governor was for vetoing year
after year the treatment and prevention programs for youths that I
introduced," Stewart said. "And Republicans used that against me.

"The governor can't have it both ways. He wants Democrats to vote for his
drug bills, but his own Republicans are running for cover."

Of the $5 million for the new administration plan, about $4 million would
go to the Health Department as a one-year program to treat about 4,000
hard-core drug addicts, Miller said. The money would be directed to
low-income drug users around the state.

"We view this as a substantive commitment," Miller said.

The other $1 million would be split among other harm-reduction programs,
such as expanding methadone treatment programs for heroin addicts;
expanding the syringe-exchange program; and training medical doctors to
understand harm-reduction strategies.

Money to pay for the programs would come from the state's share of the
national tobacco settlement.