The first budget up in JFAC this morning, for substance abuse treatment and prevention within the Department of Health & Welfare, includes a 7 percent reduction in treatment - $866,500. It drew a heartfelt objection from Sen. Nicole LeFavour, D-Boise. "We have waiting lists in Idaho," she said. "We've been very successful on this committee in keeping our corrections budget down by improving our ability to provide substance abuse and mental health treatment both." In a time of economic downturn, LeFavour said, more people are prone to "despair," leading even to "suicide ... harm to others. .. This is not an acceptable time to make drastic reductions in a budget like this. So I'm sorry, I can't support this."

The budget passed on a 17-3 vote, with three Democrats objecting, but Rep. Wendy Jaquet, D-Ketchum, supporting the plan; she said she favors looking at increased beer and wine taxes to fund more treatment. Rep. Janice McGeachin, R-Idaho Falls, spoke out in favor of the budget. "There are some opportunities for savings, and I think that we're moving in the right direction here," she said. Sen. Jim Hammond, R-Post Falls, said, "We can wring our hands and express sorrow that we don't have a full glass, or we could have no glass at all, have an empty glass. Quite frankly, we're still doing pretty darn well, we're doing better than most states, we're still going to do the best we can for all these folks. ... We will get through this."

LeFavour responded, "With the deepest respect, I don't think this is the best way to do it." Idaho could delay part of the increase in the grocery tax credit, for example, she said, to avoid such cuts. "I'm sorry, Mr. Chairman and committee, but this is not the best we can do," she said.

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