BOARD BATTLING SUBSTANCE ABUSE SEEKS 2ND LEVY TRY

Voters turned down the Lucas County Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services
board for a levy in November, but the results were close enough to
encourage the agency to go back on the ballot in May.

Jay Salvage, the agency's director, said yesterday he will ask county
commissioners next week to approve placing a 0.5-mill levy on the ballot
for the May 7 primary.

The levy would raise the taxes on a $50,000 home by $7.66, Mr. Salvage
said. "We think there will be some large issues on the November ballot we
didn't want to compete with," he said. "And, frankly, we have such
financial needs that to wait for another year didn't seem possible for us."

In November, the levy was defeated by 1,115 votes - a 50.6 percent to 49.4
percent margin. In March, 2000, voters rejected a 0.35-mill levy by a much
larger margin.

Mr. Salvage said he thinks county voters have been reluctant to support the
measure because it's a new tax, but he thinks the agency's message is
starting to get through. "Most families are touched by this issue, so
people can understand it," he said.

Sandy Isenberg, president of the commissioners, said she'll back the levy.
"I think it's very important for this community to understand the extreme
costs to counties, cities, and states across the country for alcohol and
drug addiction," Ms. Isenberg said.

Commissioner Harry Barlos, who said he too will support the levy, advocated
looking into a comprehensive approach to drug treatment. "There will always
be an issue of alcohol and drug treatment in our community, regardless of
what we do, so we can't turn our backs," he said.