BUDGET THREATENS AREA DRUG GRANT

DAYTONA BEACH -- A police unit dedicated to public housing developments
here could be in jeopardy in the federal budget proposed by President
George Bush.

The Housing and Urban Development budget proposed by Bush would terminate
$309 million in funding for the Drug Elimination Grant program in public
housing nationwide.

Daytona Beach's public housing authority received a $252,145 Drug
Elimination Grant in January for the 2000 fiscal year. Funding for 2001 has
been delayed and Bush recommended terminating the grant in 2002.

About $232,000 of the grant funds six police officers and a sergeant
dedicated solely to issues in public housing. Daytona Beach Police Chief
Kenneth Small said the drug elimination grant has sponsored the special
police unit in public housing for about nine years.

"It would certainly be detrimental to the service we provide in public
housing," Small said about possible termination of the grant. "As it stands
now, the city doesn't have funds to replace those officers." The remaining
$20,000 of the Daytona Beach Housing Authority's Drug Elimination Grant in
2000 went to anti-drug programs sponsored by Resident Initiative Councils
in each housing development.