A bill that would allocate $450,000 for Operation UNITE in order to allow the program to continue running smoothly through the fiscal year is expected to be introduced today in the Kentucky State Senate.
The bill comes in response to the decision by Congress to not earmark any money for the program for this federal fiscal year and only provide around $4.1 million to UNITE for the next fiscal year.
“That’s why we turned to our friends in the state legislature,” Fifth District Congressman Harold “Hal” Rogers said.
Senate Bill 97 will allocate the $450,000 from a $12 million pool of funds in the Multi County Economic Regional Development Fund, which is comprised of revenue from the coal severence tax.
“Today is a day of commitment and dreams,” Sen. Robert Sivers (R-Manchester) and co-sponsor of the bill said to approximately 120 coalition representatives from across the UNITE service region Monday. “This is a stop-gap measure to keep Operation UNITE up and running through the end of the fiscal year.”
Operation UNITE was created in 2003 by Rogers as a regional anti-drug initiative empowering citizen groups and community leaders in 29 southern and eastern Kentucky counties. Rogers had secured $8 million during each of UNITE’s first three years of operation and he was able to up that to $9.1 million in 2006-2007.
The organization only received $3.6 million through a budget signed by President George Bush last month, which brings the total budget for UNITE to $9.7 million through the middle of next year.
“UNITE is having an impact. It’s saving lives. We simply cannot let the effort deteriorate. This issue has got to remain a priority,” Rogers said.
Faced with budget cuts, UNITE is down 17 officers from when the program was at its peak, and the organization is looking at further cuts. Rogers said UNITE’s recent decision to scale back its staff by 10 law enforcement officers and one employee each from the education and treatment components resulted from “some bumps” in the federal budget.
“Drugs cause so many problems,” SB 97 co-sponsor Sen. Tom Jensen (R-London) said. “This is an issue that looks beyond district lines and party affiliation. This is something good for the region.”
The legislation, which will carry an emergency clause allowing it to take effect upon Gov. Steve Beshear’s signature, is expected to draw bi-partisan support.
“UNITE has been instrumental in helping treat those suffering from an addiction to illegal or prescription drugs, and in prosecuting the drug dealers who are profiting from the epidemic,” said Sen. Ray S. Jones II (D-Pikeville), who plans to co-sponsor the legislation. “In order for us to have any chance of combating this problem UNITE must be fully funded.”
Stivers said in a press release that he had met with Gov. Beshear Sunday evening and he said he was “pretty confident” about the bill’s chances.
“I can’t guarantee anything, but we are going to be up there and working on it,” Stivers said.
SB 97 could move swiftly through the legislative process and be sent to the governor by the end of January.
UNITE, which stands for Unlawful Narcotics Investigations, Treatment & Education, seeks to expand drug awareness and education programs, coordinate drug treatment and outreach rograms for those who are already addicted, and operate regional undercover law enforcement task forces for intercdiction and prosecution of those involved in illegal drugs.
Local News
Related Photos
-
From left, U.S. Congressman Hal Rogers, State Sen. Robert Stivers, and State Sen. Tom Jensen held a press conference Monday in London announcing a bill that would provide $450,000 in state funding for operation UNITE in response to significant federal cuts for the organization.
January 22, 2008
Bill to pump funds into UNITE anticipated
Local News
- Local News
-
-
Visitors rave about beauty of Lake Cumberland in May
-
Pulaski’s Memorial Day weekend to be packed
- Locally-born Rotary leader Pigman dies at 78
-
Technology summit gets underway
- Local Democrats diss Obama
- Floyd edges incumbent in city council run-off
-
Pulaski carries Girdler to win
In the weeks leading up to Tuesday’s primary election, it was impossible to miss the colorful signs dotting nearly every Pulaski roadway. The names in the race for the 15th State Senatorial District seat popped out: A.C. Donahue. Chris Girdler. Mark Polston.Once citizens hit the ballots, however, the results mirrored the dimensions of the signs themselves: Chris Girdler stood the tallest.Girdler, deputy district director for Congressman Harold “Hal” Rogers, ran away with the votes inside Pulaski County’s borders, earning 3,926 votes for 62.05 percent of the total number cast.That number more than doubled the next highest vote-getter, businessman Mark Polston, who raked in 1,624 votes for 25.67 percent.However, Polston — who owns Classic Carpet, a home-flooring business located just off the southern 914 bypass — can claim a moral victory ... three of them, in fact. In all three counties in the district other than Pulaski — those being Adair, Casey, and Russell Counties — Polston actually edged out Girdler.In Adair, Polston beat Girdler 629 to 394. In Casey County, it was 538 to 417, and in Russell, it was 1,862 to 1,038.Polston said he just “couldn’t pull it out with the numbers” and that “the machine worked for” Girdler in Pulaski County.“I think that was their strategy — I think they had a Pulaski County strategy all along,” said Polston. “They played the political game well.”Polston said the difference between his and Girdler’s campaigns was that “mine was a very, very grass roots campaign,” he said. “I did not have a political machine behind me. I understand how this process works, and in this instance, he prevailed.”As for why Girdler didn’t take three of four counties, the winning candidate — since there are no Democrats in the race, winning the Republican primary was effectively a final victory for Girdler — said he didn’t have an answer for that.However, “I believe things happen for a reason and I hope the long and strenuous campaign will only heighten my desire to move beyond the bitterness and partisanship of the recent past,” said Girdler.“Regionalism is a goal of mine, and I look forward to helping all four counties,” he added, noting that he campaigned heavily in each of them.Sen. Vernie McGaha, the long-time state senator whose seat the candidates were vying for, actually supported Polston after Liberty’s Todd Hoskins dropped out of the race earlier this month.Donahue, a local attorney, got 556 votes in Pulaski County, 8.79 percent of the vote. He only received 145 votes in Russell County, 74 in Adair County, and 75 in Casey County, where hometown candidate Hoskins almost matched him with 71 votes despite no longer being officially in the race.Polston said he’s “still digesting” what happened, and though “the process has been a very good experience for me,” he wouldn’t commit to running again in the future. “I wouldn’t shut the door to anything, but I’m not opening any doors either.”Still, “I think I got a lot of people involved in the process that had not been involved before and would not have been otherwise,” he said. “A lot of people got out and worked really hard, got motivated to talk to friends and neighbors. I think a lot of people became involved through this campaign that are going to be involved for a long time.”Girdler stressed his “positive message” and said that Rogers is a “mentor and good friend” that he would turn to for advice in dealing with a frequently combative legislative body in Frankfort, one for which Girdler hopes to help change the culture.Girdler said that he was “confident and optimistic” during the day Tuesday because he’d “worked extremely hard.” Nevertheless, the realization that he’d won gave him “chill bumps,” he said.“I’m absolutely honored,” said Girdler. “The position of state senator is more than an honor, more than an office. It’s a charge to keep, and I will give it my all.“I pledge to be the people’s state senator,” he added. “I look forward to working with everyone to move this region forward.” -
Pine Knot man leads law enforcement on chase
-
Tragic accident claims toddler
- Woman with child in car cited for DUI
- More Local News Headlines
-
Police: Man Arrested in Etan Patz Disappearance
Hurricane Forecast: 15 Named Storms Expected
NYC Protests: the Revolution Will Be Scripted
Chicago U.S. Attorney Fitzgerald Resigns
Neighbors of Etan Patz's Suspect: It's Shocking
Search Intensifies for Missing Louisiana Woman
Bloomberg: Man Implicates Self in Etan Patz Case
NYPD: Person Implicated in Etan Patz Death
Raw Video: Fire on Nuke-powered Sub in Maine
Illegal Burn Suspected in Nevada Fire
Obama: 'We've Got More Work to Do'
Astrologers Predict Outcome of Presidential Race
Gulf Fishermen Reel From Seafood Troubles
Stuntman Makes Skydive Without Parachute in UK
FAMU Bandmates: Victim Volunteered to Be Hazed
Raw Video: Bride Who Faked Cancer Released
Raw Video: Tornado Appears During Wedding
Raw Video: Passed Out Man Robbed
Inquiry Hears Wider Secret Service Misbehavior
HP to Cut 27,000 Jobs, Save Up to $3.5B
