PERRY URGES TOUGHER DRUG-DEALER PENALTIES

Sharp Assails Opponent On School-Voucher Plan

HOUSTON - Drug traffickers who use children to peddle their goods
would face a minimum 25 years in prison under a plan unveiled Friday
by Republican lieutenant governor candidate Rick Perry.

Mr. Perry said his plan not only would toughen penalties for drug
dealers in Texas but would would help local authorities "quickly and
effectively investigate, arrest and prosecute drug dealers."

Earlier this year, Democratic lieutenant governor candidate John Sharp
proposed an anti-crime plan that would impose the death penalty on
major drug dealers and repeat aggravated child molesters.

Mr. Sharp said his plan would serve as a deterrent, but he did not
define "major drug dealer," saying lawmakers would develop the specifics.

The two candidates, seeking to replace Democratic Lt. Gov. Bob
Bullock, are locked in the state's closest race, polls show. The
lieutenant governor presides over the state Senate.

Meanwhile Friday, Mr. Sharp began running a new TV ad assailing Mr.
Perry for supporting the use of public money to pay for tuition for
students to attend private or religious schools.

A spokesman for Mr. Perry responded that the ad is misleading. He
stressed that Mr. Perry favors a pilot voucher program that would
allow students in low-performing schools to attend any public, private
or parochial school at state expense.

Mr. Perry laid out his anti-drug plan while at the Drug-Free Workplace
Week awards luncheon in Houston, honoring individuals and employers
who have helped develop initiatives to eradicate drug use in the workplace.

The issue of drug use and distribution among students has drawn more
attention since a dozen youths died of heroin overdoses in the last
two years in Plano, putting the suburb in the national spotlight.

Under Mr. Perry's plan, an adult drug dealer who uses a minor to
deliver illegal drugs would receive a minimum 25-year prison sentence.
A dealer who delivers drugs directly to a minor or one who is the
leader of a drug-trafficking ring would receive a minimum 11-year
prison sentence.

Mr. Perry, who is the state agriculture commissioner, also proposes
changing the law to give parents the authority to keep children with
drug dependency problems in a treatment program until they turn 18.
Under current law, teens ages 16 and older may check themselves out of
such programs without parental consent.

An anti-drug unit also would be created to provide law enforcement,
prosecutorial and education assistance to local communities.

Sharp campaign spokesman Kelly Fero said he had not seen Mr. Perry's
plan but noted that Mr. Sharp's position on drug traffickers was
well-established.

"He thinks the law should be clear and very tough so that drug dealers
know if they want to do business in Texas, there are going to be
severe consequences if they get caught," Mr. Fero said.

He also pointed to Mr. Sharp's endorsements by police associations in
Houston, Dallas, Austin and other cities, saying "law enforcement
professionals know which of these two candidates have the record on
criminal justice issues and which is a newcomer." Mr. Sharp is the
state comptroller.

Ray Andrews, director of the anti-drug program Houston Crackdown, said
his organization does not support one candidate's plan over another.
But Mr. Andrews said any attention given to the problem is welcome.

"As we try to wrestle with the drug-abuse problem nationally, as well
as here locally in Houston, we are supportive of just about anyone and
everyone we can get on board," he said.

Still, Houston Crackdown Assistant Director Brenda Templeton said
harsher punishments alone would not solve the drug problem.

"Law enforcement is never going to fix this problem," she said.
"Education is going to fix this problem."

Checked-by: Patrick Henry