Budget Writers Won’t Fund 2 Additional State Troopers

Fri., Feb. 23, 1996

Associated Press

Legislative budget writers continued to bear down on state spending Thursday, slashing more than $600,000 in general tax support from state law enforcement operations.

Among the casualties were two of the three new state troopers Gov. Phil Batt wanted, as well as two of the three additional drug investigators for the Department of Law Enforcement.

The extra manpower was rejected by a bloc of lawmakers who have taken hard law-and-order stands when money was not directly involved.

The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee also refused to use limited general tax revenue to replace federal money that has been funneled to the state from forfeitures of drug money and material that have been legally challenged.

“I think we were instructed to save where we can as we finish our budgeting process,” Republican Rep. Bob Geddes of Preston said.

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Budget Writers Won’t Fund 2 Additional State Troopers

Jesse Tinsley

Jim Meehan

Molly Quinn

Rob Curley

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