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Mecklenburg commissioners agreed tentatively Thursday to spend $623,000 to save a drug treatment program that faces elimination in the proposed state budget.
The N.C. Drug Treatment Courts help keep nonviolent drug offenders out of prison and in treatment. State lawmakers have proposed cutting more than $2 million from the courts to help close the state budget gap.
But commissioners said they wanted to spare the local courts, which supporters say are successful in helping people to become substance-free.
The money is tentative pending final approval of the county budget, which is expected Tuesday.
If included in the final spending plan, it'll keep officials from closing the courts and cutting eight employees. APRIL BETHEA
