Lab lessons

Problem: The state crime lab in Raleigh is understaffed, so the results of blood-alcohol tests administered to DWI offenders are not returned timely to prosecutors. Solution: Hendersonville Republican Sen. Tom Apodaca introduces a bill requesting $14 million for construction of a new lab near Hendersonville, plus $1.9 million per year to staff and maintain it.

Republicans have been loudly proclaiming for some time that the state is broke; now they are proposing to spend millions on a new facility when we already have one in Raleigh and another in Greensboro that do DWI testing. A new satellite facility will, of course, require significant cash to maintain and new administrators to supervise employees who actually do the work.

Might it not be a heck of a lot cheaper to staff the current state crime lab with more personnel who perform testing? Some stewards of the public purse these fellows are.

Gordon Brown

Raleigh