I-chun Che
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California counties may have to drain an $80 million from their coffers to prepare for bioterrorism. However, the mounting costs for new equipment and workers will create heavy burdens on county and local governments, which are struggling with their already tight budgets. A report from local and county officials stated that after the $80-million in start-up costs for bioterrorism preparedness, annual costs could run as high as $60 million. Officials in some counties are pushing for a quarter-cent sales tax increase to cover terrorism-related public health costs and emergency responses.

Heidi Dietrich
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Bioterrorism preparedness could cost California counties $80 million in the next six months. According to a report by the County Health Executives Association of California and California Conference of Local Health Officers, the money is needed to identify and track diseases. Expenses including purchasing equipment and paying the salaries of new pubic health employees. Some counties are considering a sales tax to cover the costs.. The Bush administration has proposed spending $1.845 billion on emergency and bioterrorism programs, but how much of that money would benefit state and local agencies remains unknown.

Fang Fang
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Preparations for bioterrorism readiness could drain funds for health care in California counties, a report by county and local health authorities declared. Officials said that $80 million would be needed to cover start-up costs and the first six months of new workers' salaries and annual ongoing expenses for germ detection and tracking could be more than $50 million. Because of the state's expected budget deficit, some county health officials are considering a quarter-cent sales tax increase. The Bush administration has proposed spending $1.5 billion on emergency fund for bioterrorism programs in the Department of Health and Human Services, but it's questionable how much will come to the counties.

Faiza Hasan
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California counties will need $70 to $ 80 million to prepare for a bioterrorism attack, which will go towards buying lab equipment, training physicians, paramedics and law enforcement agencies. Counties, which are responsible for public health, will be unable to meet the costs and will have to depend upon state or federal help. But with the state facing a budget deficit, the federal government remains the only option. The Bush administration has already proposed spending $ 345 million on bioterrorism programs, but county health officials question how much of it will trickle down to the state and local level.

Shanna McCord
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Without additional funding from state and federal governments, California faces a multi-million dollar shortfall in its preparations to fight bioterrorism. A report from county and local health officials estimates that California needs $80 million to pay for germ tracking equipment, vaccines, protective gear and salaries. Supervisors in San Diego, Los Angeles and Santa Clara counties say their health departments are not adequately prepared to properly handle a bioterrorist attack. With next year's state budget deficit estimated at $14 billion, no one knows where the needed money will come from. One proposal seeks to raise sales taxes by a quarter-cent.

Mike Nalepa
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California counties may have to spend $80 million to get bioterrorism preparedness programs started, according to a report released by county and local health officials. County governments are irepsonsible for public health services and would have to pay up to $60 million per year to keep the new programs running, the report said. Some health officials want to help cover the costs for germ detection and tracking, salaries and other expenses with a quarter-cent sales tax increase. , instead of cutting existing county social service programs. California's public health system already has a tight budget, and the state faces a $14 billion dollar deficit next year. The federal government has set aside $345 billion for bioterroism preparedness but it is not yet known how much of this would reach the counties.

Julie Ratner
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As California struggles with recession and an estimated $14 billion budget shortfall, bioterrorism preparedness could drain $80 million from county governments that provide critical social services. Bioterrorist attack preparation parallels that for a natural disaster with a public health twist, and post-September 11, counties must decide what's needed to detect and track germs and what it will cost. President Bush proposed an additional $1.5 billion in emergency funds, some of which will pay for state and local readiness and expanding stores of antibiotics and vaccines. However, the question remains of how much of those funds will reach the counties.

Wen-Yu Lang
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Bioterrorism preparedness could drain an additional $80 million this year from the coffers of California county governments, which support most social services and already have tight budgets. The costs are so significant that some counties are considering a sales tax for next year. The money will be used to buy lab equipment and pay the first six months of salaries for new employees, which are important to identify and track diseases if germ agents are released. After that, annual ongoing expanses could run $50 million to $60 million. Funding for germ warfare preparedness typically has remained at the federal level.

William F. Woo

California counties, hard hit by energy costs and the weakening economy, may have to pay up to $80 million in the next six months to prepare for bioterrorism. These expenditures could cut into social services for poor people and others. A report by local and county health officials estimates that after startup costs for equipment and salaries, the counties' annual bioterrorism bill could total $60 million. Counties are responsible for public health services, and several are thinking of sales taxes to offset bioterrorism costs. Some federal money earmarked for bioterrorism protection may be available to state and local agencies.