Preparation to Use Prop. 10 Funds

“Cigarette Tax Revenues Stalled in Bureaucracy” (Sept. 12) failed to provide an accurate portrayal of the progress of Prop. 10. No money has been spent on new programs yet because it should not be. Haphazardly allocating money to programs is not the intent of Prop 10.

In April, the state Prop. 10 commission gave the county commissions $8 million to conduct needs assessments of their communities and strategic planning for how best to spend Prop. 10 money. That is exactly what is happening in every county in California. Across the state there have been public hearings, strategic planning workshops and conferences with experts on how to make programs accountable. In the coming months in Los Angeles and other counties there will be public meetings in multiple languages to bring more people into the process of how to best target this funding. This intensive process will ensure the money is spent on the most needed, most effective programs.

This isn’t a 100-yard dash to see who can spend the money the fastest. This is a unique opportunity to bring long-term, sustainable change for our children and our communities.

ROB REINER, Chair

Calif. Children and Families

State Commission, Sacramento

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When Prop. 10 hit the ballot last year, I assumed, at the time, that in order to find funding for his childhood development programs, Rob Reiner was simply taking advantage of that most convenient cash cow: smokers. This tax costs me several hundred dollars a year, and I don’t even have any children.

A few days ago, I read that, to date, not one cent of the money generated by this tax has been distributed. I now read that since it has gone into effect, cigarette sales are down by 29%, a development which Reiner describes as “thrilling” (Sept. 14). If he was interested in childhood development programs, why would he find a 29% reduction in the potential of their funding “thrilling”?

It’s already illegal to smoke in virtually every structure in the state except for private homes, so Reiner isn’t likely to encounter any smoke if he doesn’t want to. The only thing I can say to him and his ilk is, “Get off my back and leave me alone!”

STEVEN A. WELLS

Glendale