PIPPEL VOTES ALONE AGAINST DRUG WAR

PALMER -- City council member Tony Pippel voted alone against the city of
Palmer accepting a $54,000 grant for its police department to participate
in a regional drug enforcement task force. The program is run by the Alaska
State Troopers and is funded through money from a federal government
program called the Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement
Assistance Program.

Pippel has voted against the program consistently every year, usually
alone. In December 2000, when the council was working on its 2001 budget,
he did garner some support. At that time, former council member Joe Lawton
made a motion that would have removed the Byrne funds from the budget. When
the matter went to a vote it failed narrowly, with Lawton, Pippel and
council member Diana Long in favor of removing the funds from the budget.

Pippel's words last week were emphatic but delivered in a matter-of- fact tone.

"I'm on record as being opposed to drug SWAT teams, and my position hasn't
changed," Pippel said, "I think nationally, our drug interdiction policy is
ineffective, expensive and in some cases immoral."

Byrne grants require a 75/25 percent split between the federal money and
the local match. Palmer will spend $18,000 from a city account that holds
assets seized by the Palmer Police Department, a concept which Pippel
supported.

"If we're going to do this, then we might as well use Judas' silver to pay
for it," he said.

When the matter came to a vote, all six of Pippel's fellow council members
- -- including Long -- voted in favor of the Byrne grant. Mayor Jim Cooper
tapped the table with his gavel.

"For the record, it's six-to-one in favor," Cooper said.