Your article Jan. 6 on Page B1, “Panels told drug agent funds already in hand,” really made my blood boil. It seems clear to me that both the Democrats in the Legislature and the governor are playing politics with this critical issue to our community.

There are legitimate concerns about the $1 million being spent on a 10-bed detox unit in Bangor. This seems like a lot of money for 10 beds – could someone be profiting from this, as the governor would have us believe?

But in the game of politics, not all things are equal.

The governor is clearly working against the Legislature and undermining the work of the various committees by announcing that he had found the money for his drug enforcement agents and then threatening to veto the bill to expand drug treatment and enforcement if it’s brought to his desk. Does he plan on vetoing every bill with a Democratic sponsor, as he did last year?

We need more cops. We need more treatment. I believe we need a lot more treatment.

Democrats: Look at the issues of the detox unit. Republicans: Assessing the accountability of money already spent is fine, but you don’t audit the fire department’s books while someone’s house is burning down.

Let’s get this done and done right!

John Schaberg

Portland

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