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Lawmakers sought to use the appropriations to preserve efforts that began in 2005 with a three-year, $21 million federal grant. The federal money ran out in 2007, and lawmakers opted to continue with state money, 80 percent of which goes to fund drug courts and treatment for probationers and parolees.

Some funds also go to community-based treatment for priority populations, including women, children and teenage addicts.

In a letter accompanying his line-item veto, his first of the legislative session, Otter said lawmakers should have limited the state's contribution to $7 million annually but instead more than doubled it before Office of Drug Policy Director Debbie Field had documented the program's effectiveness to his satisfaction.

He also objected that the money went for direct treatment services although the federal grant was intended to develop community-based resources, he said.

"There is no question that we need an effective, community-based substance abuse treatment system in Idaho," Otter wrote. "However, the item vetoed in this bill goes far beyond the scope of what state policy makers had in mind when our treatment program was created or what Idaho taxpayers should be expected to accept."

Otter also said he questions whether some of the federal grant was misused for patients' needs beyond treatment.

Lawmakers who approved the funding earlier this month said the substance abuse programs were worthwhile and deserved state support because they offer hope of reducing the number of state prison inmates whose incarceration costs about $15,000 each.

The veto essentially halves funding for Idaho's state- and federally supported drug abuse treatment programs, said Rep. Margaret Henbest, D-Boise. Of the measures Otter vetoed, $2.4 million was for drug abuse-related funding through June 30 and $14.4 million was for programs in the year beginning July 1.

The services benefit many participants in drug courts, said Sen. Dean Cameron, R-Rupert and co-chairman of the Joint Finance-Appropriations budget writing committee.

"The legislature over the last several years has had a paradigm shift. We don't want to be building more prisons. We want to be investing in treatment," Cameron said. "It's obvious some haven't made that shift. We're disappointed."

With the veto, Cameron said, lawmakers have the choice of reopening the Office of Drug Policy's budget to adjust funding levels or attempt to override the governor's veto.

http://www.idahostatesman.com/531/story/329594.html