BOISE -- Idaho Department of Health and Welfare programs to treat drug- and alcohol-addicted residents will see a nearly 4 percent cut in fiscal year 2011 funding, another casualty of the poor economy.

The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee voted 17-3 for the final piece of a statewide budget that totals nearly $28.7 million, down from about $30 million to be spent during the current fiscal year.

Democrats including Rep. Shirley Ringo, from Moscow, and Sen. Nicole LeFavour, from Boise, lamented that the Republican-dominated Legislature hasn't pushed policy changes they say could bring in more revenue to fund drug treatment that helps keep people out of more-costly prisons.

Sen. Jim Hammond, a Republican from Coeur d'Alene, countered that the drug-treatment "glass" remains "seven-eighths full."

Hammond said, "We can wring our hands and express sorrow we don't have a full glass. Or we could have no glass at all."