Sen. Marsha Blackburn sent a letter to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra expressing her “grave concerns” about program that could reportedly use taxpayer money to distribute crack pipes to drug addicts.
The Health and Human Services Department is channeling $30 million into a program that will reportedly involve distribution of crack pipes and other drug paraphernalia as part of a harm reduction strategy.
Coming off of 2020 better than expected, the city of Aspen is on solid financial footing and will add five full-time positions to its roster of about 320 employees.
The new staff will be added across the city manager’s office, community development, police and parks and open space beginning on July 1.
The positions are necessary to meet growing demands of the community, according to Alissa Farrell, the city’s administrative services director.
“These are critical positions to the organization,” she said.
In total, the new positions amount to just over $500,000 annually in additional budget expenditures.
Other budgetary requests that Aspen City Council approved in an ordinance on first reading this week includes pay raises for existing staff.