Survey of Local Alcholism Progr
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league of Kansas Municipalities
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Kansas Government Journal
December/ 1980
SURVEY OF LOCAL ALCOHOLISM PROGRAMS
In 1980, local governments in Kansas received for the first time revenues from a 10
percent tax on alcoholic liquors sold in private clubs. The legislation creating this tax
specifies that one-third of the moneys "shall be expended only for the purchase/ establish-
ment/ maintenance or expansion of services or programs of alcoholism prevention and education/
alcohol detoxification, intervention in alcohol misuse or treatment of persons who are
alcoholics or are in danger of becoming alcoholics. II
In November/ 1980, the League of Kansas Municipalities conducted a survey of cities
and counties that were receiving these moneys to determine how the one-third share for
alcoholism programs was being used. The accompanying summary depicts the information
gathered. However/certain caveats need to be observed in interpreting the dati::!. At the
time of the survey, cities and counties had received three distributions from the Itate/ repre-
senting collections from July 1/1979, through June 30,1980. Data from the Sh:Jte Treasurer's
Office lists total distributions during this period, for the one-third share, at $1,480/482 for
cities and $163,692 for counties. Units responding to the survey accounted for 94.2 percent
of distributions to cities and 65 percent of the distributions to counties.
The survey asked local units to describe the comm'ïtments they had made For the use
of these funds whether or not actual expenditures had occurred. Cities responded that they
have committed 81 .8 percent of the funds received to date; counties reported somewhat less
at 75.6 percent. The bulk of the funds has been committed to agencies already established
to provide alcoholism services. Although the attached summary depicts commitments to a
variety of entities, the distinction between mental health centers, private non-profit agencies
and citizen advisory committees is somewhat arbitrary in terms of service provision. "Private
non-profit" refers to agencies established solely for provision of alcohol treatment and/or
prevention services. In many, if not most, cases the services themselves will no'r vary sub-
stantially from those offered by mental health centers. In the case of citizen advisory committees/
some function as service providers while others have been delegated authority by the governing
body to decide how the I iquor tax money wi II be distributed. Funds allocated to pol ice depart-
ments are primarily for Alcohol Safety Action Programs, while school districts are predictably
receiving money for educational programs.
Of the 118 cities responding to the survey / 46 had made no decision at the time of the
survey on use of the special alcohol programs fund, which was true for 11 of the 38 counties.
In most cases, apparently, this can be attributed to the small sums involved. In other instances,
officials may be moving cautiously in an area with which many are unfamiliar.
LEAGUE OF KANSAS MUNICI PAll TIES
November, 1980
Survey of City Alcoholism Program Funded by One-Third Share of Alcoholic Liquor Tax
Cities Surveyed: 173
Cities Responding: 118 (68%)
1. Total of actual alcohol funds distributed to all cities:
(One-third share of March, June and September payments)
2. Total of funds distributed to cities respon~ing to survey:
Percent of total distributions represented by responses:
3. Total dollar commitments by responding cities:
Commitments as percent of distributions to responding cities:
Commitments made to date, by category of recipient:
Private non-profits $ 644,885 56.5%
Mental Health Centers 186,168 16.3%
Citizen Advisory Committees 71 ,202 6.2%
Police Departments 58-,699 5.1%
Court Services 39,000 3.4%
U.S.D.'s 38,327 3.3%
Hospitals 32,541 2.8%
Other 70,048 6.1%
TOTAL $1,140,870 99.7%
$1,480,482
$1,394,219
94.2%
$1 , 140,870
81 .8%
4. Estimate by responding cities of dollars that wi II remain unspent or
unobligated at the end of 1980: $ 481,981
5. Amount of one-third share budgeted by responding cities for
expenditure in 1981:
6. Numbér of responding cities with alcoholism advisory committees:
$1,866,891
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LEAGUE OF KANSAS MUNICI PALITI ES
November, 1980
-,- . -
Survey of County Alcoholism Programs Funded by One-Third Share of Alcoholic Liquor Tax
Counties Surveyed: 65
Counties Responding: 38 (58%)
1. Total of actual alcohol funds distributed to all counties:
(One-th ird share of March, June and September payments)
2. Total of funds distributed to counties responding to survey:
Percent of total distributions represented by responses:
3. Total dollar commitments by responding counties:
Commitments as percent of distributions to responding counties:
Commitments made to date, by category of recipients:
Mental Health Centers $40,973 50.9%
Private non-profits 16,908 21.0%
Citizen Advisory Committees 10,383 12.9%
U.S.D.'s 684 .8%
Other 11,544 14.3%
TOTAL $80,492 99.9%
$163,692
$106,422
65%
$ 80,492
75 . 6%
4. Estimate by responding counties of dollars that wi II remain unspent
or unobl igated at the end of 1980: $ 41,119
5. Amount of one-third share budgeted by responding counties
for expenditure in 1981 :
6. Number of responding counties with alcoholism advisory committees:
$172 ,547
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