$1 MILLION SOUGHT FOR METH FIGHT

Perdue: Hike GBI Budget To Increase Task Force Size

Gov. Sonny Perdue on Tuesday announced that he will ask lawmakers to
include an extra $1 million in the budget to double the number of
agents on the Georgia Bureau of Investigation's Meth Force.

Perdue, who made the announcement during a news conference at the
GBI's Canton Regional Drug Enforcement Office in Cherokee County,
said he wants to double the number of agents investigating
methamphetamine trafficking, production and distribution from 15 to 30.

"Georgia is waging an effective battle against the scourge of
methamphetamine with a strong local, state and federal coalition,"
Perdue said in a statement. "An additional 15 agents on the GBI Meth
Force will double the state's efforts to combat meth and related
crimes like burglaries, assaults and even homicides."

The governor said he will recommend lawmakers approve the $1 million
needed for the program in either the midyear fiscal 2007 budget or
the fiscal 2008 budget, which begins July 1, 2007.

Perdue has been working on methamphetamine problems in the state for
several years. He signed bills to toughen criminal sentences against
those in the methamphetamine business in 2003 and 2004. In 2005, he
signed a bill requiring products with pseudoephedrine - a key
ingredient of meth - as the sole active ingredient to be sold behind
the counter of stores. He also held a summit in 2004 to make
recommendations on how to stem the trade and use of methamphetamines.

The governor's announcement was the latest in a series he's made in
recent months as he runs for re-election. He also held a news
conferences to announce an increase in the number of officials who
will work to investigate people suspected of using fake documents to
get driver's licenses. He's announced plans to eliminate state
income taxes for retirees and to put dropout prevention counselors
in middle schools. In each case, the announcements were followed by
TV campaign ads.