Anti-drug group pushing 5 percent increase in state’s alcohol tax
Posted on Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Project Right Choice members are urging lawmakers to pass a bill that would raise Arkansas’ alcohol sales tax by 5 percent.
The proceeds would be used to support substance abuse treatment programs, anti-domestic abuse programs and other related purposes.
“Drugs and alcohol are the single biggest drain on Arkansas’ budget,” said Saima Chauhan, executive director for the Washington/Madison Drug Court Treatment Center. “If people hear that, it might raise more awareness.”
Chauhan said the sales tax increase would generate $27.5 million for the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention, the state agency responsible for distributing federal funds from the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant.
“I know it sounds like a lot of money, but it’s really a drop in the bucket,” said Judy Cohea, fiscal officer for the Fayetteville Police Department. “Right now, the funding is only at about $13 million to $ 14 million.”
Project Right Choice members plan to distribute e-mails encouraging area residents to urge their state legislators to support the alcohol sales tax increase bill.
Chauhan said the funding would be distributed to providers with “evidence-based programming.”
“It would be distributed among more than 12 facilities, including mine, that could close down if the bill doesn’t pass since (Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention) funding has been cut,” Chauhan said. “There hasn’t been in increase in 13 years. If they don’t get the funding, there’s not much they can do.”
In other business, Project Right Choice members viewed the group’s newly completed brochure. Greg Mack of Taylor Mack Advertising created the brochures at no cost. Project Right Choice paid $299 to print 2,500 copies that will be distributed at various awareness events.
Project Right Choice is a locally-based, volunteer-driven group. The committee was originally spearheaded by the Fayetteville Police Department more than three years ago to address issues of methamphetamine abuse in Northwest Arkansas. The group initially operated off a grant from the 4th Judicial District Drug Task Force but later became a community-led organization.
For more information about Project Right Choice, contact Cohea at 587-3581 or go online to www.projectrightchoice.com. To contact the methamphetamine hotline, call 888-852-4908.
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