ANTI-DRUG PLAN GETTING $3 MILLION

Gov. Linda Lingle released nearly $3 million yesterday to fight drug abuse,
which was most, but not all, of the money she had been withholding from a
$14.7 million anti-drug package approved by the state Legislature last
session despite her reservations.

Lingle has released the money in installments over the first six months of
the fiscal year, which began last July, initially waiting for state revenue
projections and then for her administration to review whether the treatment
programs were effective.

The governor said yesterday that, "based on their exhaustive due diligence,
I can make this announcement today with a great deal of confidence."

Democratic lawmakers, some as late as yesterday morning, had criticized the
governor for not releasing all of the money. Some drug-treatment providers
had also asked the governor for the money.

"I think any time we can provide additional resources, it's helpful," said
state Rep. Dwight Takamine, D-1st (N. Hilo, Hamakua, N. Kohala), the
chairman of the House Finance Committee.

Takamine, at a budget briefing in December and again yesterday morning,
publicly questioned why the Lingle administration had not released the
money. In an interview later, Takamine said the delays could have set back
some of the treatment efforts, particularly those tied to students at
public schools.

"How many have we lost?" Takamine asked.

Lingle has released $14.1 million for the package, and said yesterday that
she will withhold the remaining $600,000 because it is for items that are
either duplicative or not directly tied to drug control.

Earlier, the administration had released money for drug courts on the
Neighbor Islands and adult and school-based treatment and prevention programs.

The Legislature's anti-drug package came in two parts, one that
strengthened criminal penalties and another providing money for treatment
and prevention, mostly targeting the use of crystal methamphetamine, or "ice."

Lingle vetoed the law enforcement portion, arguing that it did not go far
enough, but her veto was overriden by lawmakers. The governor allowed the
prevention measure to become law without her signature, but used her
discretion over spending to decide when the money was released.

What It Includes

The money released yesterday includes $1.3 million for adolescent drug
treatment and $400,000 to counties for grassroots anti-drug campaigns,
which will be matched by county funds. It also includes:

- - $400,000 to counties for community-based substance abuse programs

- - $430,000 to the Big Island for community adolescent drug prevention

- - $200,000 to pay for three state health workers to collect data and study
treatment programs

- - $100,000 for a treatment program at Waiawa Correctional Facility

- - $50,000 to help former inmates stay drug free