Legislative power

Davis

When he first ran for the Idaho Senate in 1998, Republican Bart Davis of Idaho Falls sometimes talked about the need for drug and alcohol treatment centers in the state's seven judicial districts.

Davis said people from all walks of life thanked him for speaking about this subject. Their families had struggled in some way with addiction.

Nine years later, Davis, the Senate's majority leader, knows the need is far greater than when he broke into politics. The spread of meth has left hundreds of thousands of Idahoans with nowhere to turn.

Treatment exists, but it's expensive and difficult to get into. Drug court is effective, but limited slots are available. Some say the best long-term drug treatment is found in Idaho's prison system.

"When you're the mom or the dad and you have a child in this environment, you honestly don't know what the answers are," Davis said.

But experience teaches, and Davis understands, that there is fierce competition for every one of the $2 billion in the state budget. People want more money for public schools and colleges. Medicaid costs rise by double-digits every year. Idaho's prisons are full beyond capacity.

Seven state-run drug and alcohol treatment facilities would cost millions to build and run.

But Davis hasn't given up his young politician's dream. Perhaps existing treatment facilities could be licensed by the state. Maybe someday the money will be there. Maybe providing treatment will become important enough to compete for a bigger chunk of those state dollars.

"I hope, before my legislative career ends, that I get an opportunity to vote," he said.