News brief: Drug court survives

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The three Lewis County commissioners voted unanimously today to approve a one-tenth of one cent local sales tax to fund drug court and other related programs.

County Commissioner Bill Schulte said public testimony given today was running two to one in favor of the measure.

He estimated about 30 people gave their opinions during the public hearing that just about filled the commissioner’s meeting room.

“What happens is we pay one way or the other,” Schulte said. “What happens is unfortunately, it costs more and we get poorer results if we do mental health through the jail.”

The proceeds can only be spent on what are called therapeutic courts – such as drug court and mental health court – and certain other measures to reduce substance abuse and help keep mentally ill individuals stable.

Consumers will likely see the change in October and it will take a couple of months before the county actually begins to see money coming into their account, according to the commissioners.

Supporters have said the increase would amount to about $20 per household per year.

The commissioners next will set up an advisory board to guide them in allocating the receipts, expected to amount to about $900,000 next year.
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2 Responses to “News brief: Drug court survives”

  1. Marty Hayes says:

    The county has spent over $50,000 defending Terry Wilson against Barb Thompson, despite everyone who has taken an honest look at her case (Ronda Reynolds death) concluding she was murdered. AND, it isn’t over. Heck, they are still defending him, and he isn’t even coroner anymore!

    If the county has this money to waste, they certainly didn’t need to raise taxes. This should have gone before a vote of the people, like the jail bond did.

    FAIL!!!

  2. George says:

    Since inception in 2004, a total of 53 people have “graduated” from this program. A far greater number have not “graduated”, having either violated terms of their enrollment, probation violations, recurring drug use, etc….

    The time has come where people need to start being held accountable for their actions. This means that those who are incarcerated in the local county jail need to pay for it (a great many counties across the nation charge “room and board”), anywhere from $50-75 per day. Enrollment in special programs, that would come at a price as well.

    Yes, I understand that my tax dollars are used to pay for jails, law enforcement, etc… but I am NOT the one who told these folks to go out and commit crimes, steal cars, rob houses, use or deal drugs, etc… THEY are the ones who need to pay for it, even if it means seizing their assets in order to cover the cost of their incarceration or treatment.

    Instead of coddling our criminal elements, we need to make them pay the price for their crimes. Not us.