What's possible

One Colorado community is taking the bull by the horns and adopting a 0.25% sales tax to establish a community detox and treatment services.

By the numbers
Larimer County Issue 1A on the November ballot would levy a 0.25 percent sales tax - or 25 cents on a $100 purchase - to build a facility that would provide treatment for people with mental-health and substance-abuse problems. Below are preliminary figures tied to the proposal:

> $12.5 million: Cost to build the facility
> $5.8 million: Staffing costs for new programs
> $1.3 million: Staffing costs to expand existing programs
> $750,000: Annual medication costs
> $350,000: Annual maintenance and utilities costs
> 41,000 square feet: Size of the building
> 1,200: People who would be served each year
> 72: Staff

An impressive vision. This is a county of 250,000.