GET MOVING ON METH

Valley Representatives Should Be Holding Hearings On The Problem.

Possibly the most disturbing conclusion that can be drawn from The Bee's
extensive investigation of the methamphetamine problem is that most of our
state and federal elective officials have done little to reduce this
epidemic that is consuming our society.

In "A Madness about Meth," an 18-page special section produced by a team of
Bee journalists from Fresno, Modesto and Sacramento, the great Central
Valley has been documented as meth's principal breeding ground. But the
actions by our governmental leaders have been minuscule in comparison with
the meth threat and the money spent on less dangerous public problems.

At the very least, Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, and Reps. Cal
Dooley, George Radanovich, Gary Condit and William Thomas should be
scheduling congressional hearings on the meth problem in both Washington
and Valley. This crisis deserves the same attention as the more politically
correct causes that our senators and congressmen always seem to be promoting.

Congressional hearings would serve a number of important purposes,
including raising the profile of this problem for both the public and the
many lawmakers who are ignoring the dangers of meth. For Feinstein, Boxer,
Dooley, Radanovich, Condit and Thomas to ignore this opportunity to fight
for this region on this issue essentially means they are giving in to the
meth dealers.

Some lawmakers, such as Feinstein and Dooley, have made timid passes at the
meth problem, but they clearly have not done enough. It is typical of our
elected representatives to claim victory when their half-hearted efforts
have done little to solve the problem. The lack of federal funds to fight
meth is an indictment of our representatives, and clear evidence that the
Valley has been ignored.

Bee reporters found that while San Diego gets $10 million from the federal
government to combat drug trafficking, Milwaukee $4.5 million and Lake
County, Ind., $3 million, the nine Valley counties that stretch from
Sacramento to Kern receive just $1.5 million from the federal government,
the smallest drug-fighting budget for any region in the country.

Voters should remember these numbers at election time when our
representatives claim to be so effective.

Meanwhile, overdosed meth addicts crowd Valley hospitals and their abused
and neglected children swell the rolls of foster care. The makeshift labs
where they cook their drugs spew toxic chemicals and leave poisonous
residues that threaten groundwater and force costly cleanups.

Have Feinstein, Boxer, Dooley, Radanovich, Condit and Thomas done enough to
fight meth? The answer is a loud and tragic, "No!"

Our state representatives, including Gov. Davis, have been just as
ineffective. Where have Valley legislators Jim Costa, Chuck Poochigian,
Dick Monteith, George House, Mike Briggs, Sarah Reyes, Dean Florez and Roy
Ashburn been on the meth fight?

It's time for congressional hearings on the meth problem. Will our elected
representatives join this battle or will they continue to sit on the
sidelines, and allow this scourge to continue to devour our Valley?