Agencies want share of tobacco money

Elise Gee

COSTA MESA -- Community leaders in the social services and medical field

were among those who testified passionately this week urging the county

board of supervisors to use millions of dollars of tobacco settlement

money for health care.

Representatives from Share Our Selves, the Orange Coast Interfaith

Shelter and Hoag Hospital attended a workshop with the county board of

supervisors at the Costa Mesa Neighborhood Center to talk about how to

spend the $30 to $40 million that will be funneled into Orange County

next spring.

During the next 25 years, Orange County will receive $912 million as part

of a nationwide tobacco lawsuit settlement. There are no restrictions on

how that money can be spent, but social and health care agency leaders

believe it should be spent on health care rather than on paying off the

county debt or on the proposed jail.

‘Too many people don’t have health-care coverage,’ said Paty Madueno, who

was representing St. Joaquim’s church.

Madueno, who is also a West Side apartment manager, said that 70% of St.

Joaquim’s parishioners surveyed and 50 of the 71 families who live in her

complex don’t have health insurance.

Madueno said that a community hospital for low-income people is also

needed.

Representatives from the Newport-Mesa community including Karen McGlinn

of Share Our Selves and Gwynn Parry of Hoag Hospital’s Community Medicine

Department spoke during the meeting.

‘I think we all recognize that initially these lawsuits were started

because of health-related issues,’ said Gary Burton, chief financial

officer for the county.

But in accordance with priorities set two years ago, in the county’s

strategic financial plan, staff recommended the money be spent on paying

off the county debt and capital costs for the proposed jail.

The county has a legal obligation to meet those priorities, and Second

District Supervisor Jim Silva said he supports that recommendation.

The county must repay bonds and there is a federal court order requiring

the county to build more jail space, Silva said.

However, Silva said he thought the testimony by social and health-care

leaders was very compelling.

‘I would like to see some arrangements made where we can meet some of

their needs,’ he said.

Sheri Barrios, director of the Orange Coast Interfaith Shelter said the

funds are badly needed in a county where health care hasn’t historically

been a priority.

‘When the free clinics closed in Santa Ana, the health-care agency picked

up one of them, but there needs to be money for emergency health care, as

well as mental health,’ she said.

Barrios said one of her shelter’s clients also spoke at the workshop

about not being able to find child care for his child. That client’s case

illustrated the lack of child care for children with medical and

emotional issues, Barrios said.

The board of supervisors is expected to vote Nov. 9 on a conceptual

spending plan for the tobacco funds, Burton said.

Staff will be exploring the possibility of earmarking a portion of the

yearly allotment toward things outside of debt

payment and jail construction. He also touted the advantages of meeting

those obligations first.

As with any person, if the county pays off its debt, it will have more

expendable income.

‘In the end you’ll have more money to spend,’ he said. ‘Once you’re

removed from debt, it frees up other money for us to spend.’