RESTORE FUNDING

As you have recently reported, funding for residential and outpatient
drug-abuse treatment programs was cut severely during Special Session
C of the Florida Legislature. Lawmakers weighed heavily the decision
to reduce funding for these programs against the core functions of the
Department of Corrections, such as security and public safety.

Gov. Jeb Bush's executive budget, released in early January, outlined
a $7.3 million restoration of substance-abuse-treatment funds. His
recent supplemental budget included an additional $3.1 million to
restore fully the residential and outpatient substance-abuse-treatment
programs.

Under Bush's leadership, funding for residential and outpatient
substance-abuse programs has increased steadily. In fact, we have seen
a 33 percent funding increase since 1997-98.

The governor and I recognize that to fight crime effectively, we must
do all we can to make sure offenders don't return to prison.
Substance-abuse-treatment programs help reduce recidivism and the cost
to taxpayers for repeat incarcerations.

I fully support the governor in asking the Legislature to restore
these programs, which have been an important tool in fighting crime on
our streets, in our communities and in the neighborhoods we call home.

MICHAEL W. MOORE Secretary Florida Department of Corrections