THE EDITORS: DRUG ABUSE BOARD SPEAKS OUT FOR MAY LEVY PROPOSAL

Lucas County voters twice defeated a new tax to support drug prevention and
treatment services, but leaders of the board charged with coordinating
those services are optimistic about the third levy attempt on the May 7
primary ballot.

To gain support for the 0.5-mill, five-year levy, the Lucas County Alcohol
and Drug Addiction Services board is talking to as many people as it can,
Jay Salvage, the agency's executive director, said during a taping of The
Editors television program.

"When we talk to people and share with them what can be done with these
funds, then people seem to put the new tax in a little different
perspective and say, 'Well, this is worth the risk and the investment to
support these services,'" Mr. Salvage said.

The proposed levy would raise $3.88 million a year for the treatment and
prevention programs the agency funds and cost the owner of a $100,000 home
$15.32 a year.

The levy was defeated in November by 1,115 votes, or 50.6 to 49.4 percent,
a narrower margin than a defeat in 2000.

Mr. Salvage cited a reluctance by voters to support a new tax, and he said
the narrow loss indicates the board did a better job at conveying the
importance of dealing with chemical dependency.

But another challenge has been popular attitudes about addiction.

"There is still a large stigma attached with chemical dependency, and a lot
of people still perceive it to be something that people should do something
about on their own," Mr. Salvage said.

Dr. Cynthia Beekley, superintendent of Springfield Local Schools and a
member of the ADAS board, added: "We know that it's a much more complex
problem than that."

She and Mr. Salvage were questioned by Thomas Walton, vice president-editor
of The Blade, and Marilou Johanek, a member of The Blade editorial board.
The Editors will air at 9 tonight on WGTE-TV, Channel 30, and 12:30 p.m.
Sunday on WBGU-TV, Channel 27.