From: leonf@perspicuity.net ("Leon")
To: fear-list@mapinc.org, fear-talk@mapinc.org
Subject: FEAR: Drug money finances facility
Date: Sun, 10 Nov 2002 09:51:30 -0600


I post this article because it is an excellent representative of the sloppy, irresponsible, pro-government reporting that we deal with.

1. Nary a mention that the concept of government forfeiture is very controversial -- most say unconstitutional.

2. All of the government theft is called "money confiscated from drug dealers" when if you examined the actual seizure cases you would find that there is some confiscated from drug dealers and much confiscated by hapless individuals that may or may not be involved with drugs but don't have the wherewithal to defend themselves or are railroaded into plea-bargaining.

3. The statement "Stevens projects the county will collect an additional $6 million through seizures" implies a plan based on future seizures whether the crimes support it or not!

See http://www.libertyforum.org/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=news_takings&Number=313955
for the complete article. 

And how about contacting Mr. Scott and letting him know what you think of his reporting.

Leon
Leon Felkins, FEAR Executive Director
Send mail to: leon@fear.org


"Whenever the legislators endeavor to take away and destroy the property of the people, or to reduce them to slavery under arbitrary power, they put themselves into a state of war with the people, who are thereupon absolved from any further obedience..."   John Locke 1690


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Drug money finances facility
Confiscated funds used for police station
Peter Scott - Staff
Thursday, November 7, 2002

Clayton County officials plan to build a $17 million public safety building for which bricks, mortar and everything else will be paid for mostly with money confiscated from drug dealers.

"It's ironic, but the county is letting those who sell drugs build its new police headquarters and emergency 911 center," said Clark Stevens, an administrative assistant to Clayton County Commission Chairman Crandle Bray.

The existing police facility was built in the 1970s and has been plagued by repairs, said Maj. Doug Jewett of the Clayton County Police Department.

Over the years, the county has saved more than $6 million associated with the arrest of drug dealers and confiscation of their property in the commission of crimes, said Stevens.

Clayton outdistances many other jurisdictions in such seizure because many of its drug arrests are at Atlanta's Hartsfield International Airport, whose boundaries spill into Clayton County.

Formally, Stevens said the county will borrow $17 million to build the police complex and repay 20-year bonds with proceeds from drug confiscations.

Over the years, Stevens projects the county will collect an additional $6 million through seizures and the balance will come from a $1.50 cellphone tax in the county. 

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