Posted on: Sunday, October 3, 2004

EDITORIAL
Full funding needed for drug control plan

While it came late, it still is welcome news that Gov. Linda Lingle has released $7.3 million for drug control programs approved by the 2004 Legislature.

What is puzzling, however, is that the governor continues to hold back a third of what the Legislature approved for drug programs, outside of money targeted for the Judiciary.

(The Judiciary's money, amounting to $3.4 million and generally outside of the administration's control, was released earlier.)

The Lingle administration says it has been cautious about releasing the drug prevention money for two reasons: One, it wanted to make sure the state's revenue picture was healthy enough to support the funding; and, two, that the targeted programs were effective.

That's reasonable enough, but it has been clear for some time that the state's tax collections were strong enough to support this high priority effort. And the selected programs are by-and-large established, recognized and accredited programs that have received state support in the past.

Democrats have complained that Lingle has been slow in releasing the money because it goes toward their anti-drug package, rather than the one she proposed.

That would be putting politics above principle, since dealing with the "ice" epidemic was a high-profile plank in the campaign that swept Lingle and Lt. Gov. Duke Aiona into office.

Democratic suspicions of politics were fueled by a similar initial reluctance on the part of the Lingle administration to put out full funding for an education package the Democrats passed during the 2004 session.

Our expectation is that the rest of the drug money will be quickly released or an explanation offered as to why it should not be spent. The public has rallied strongly against the scourge of crystal methamphetamine or "ice" and the Legislature responded.

The administration should do the same.