Council majority backs tobacco measure

Jennifer Kho

COSTA MESA -- A majority of the City Council is supporting a county

measure to spend money from the nationwide tobacco settlement on health

care.

The county is expected to receive about $30 million a year for 25

years -- a portion of the money from the nationwide tobacco settlement

reached in 1999.

In November, the Orange County Board of Supervisors voted to spend

most of an estimated $765 million the county will receive from tobacco

companies on jails and repaying debts.

Measure H, intended to counter the supervisors’ decision, was written

by a coalition of hospitals, community organizations, churches and

community services, said Bernardo Enriquez, a campaign worker for Measure

H.

County officials in July filed a lawsuit in an attempt to keep the

measure off the ballot, alleging that it would violate state laws

dictating that county supervisors must decide how to spend the funds.

The measure is still on the ballot, however. If it passes, the county

would have to spend 80% of the tobacco settlement money on health care --

including 20% on community clinics, 23% on emergency departments, 19% on

senior programs including transportation to health services, 6% on

hospitals and 12% on health problem prevention.

The proposal provides that the other 20% will be spent on county

sheriff’s department programs.

Opponents of the measure want to use the money in other ways, such as

to pay off debts incurred during the 1994 county bankruptcy.

Councilwomen Linda Dixon and Libby Cowan are formally endorsing the

measure, according to an Orange County Medical Assn. press release.

“I think it’s the right use of the tobacco settlement money,” said

Cowan, who is running for reelection in November. “Health care,

particularly in this county, takes a lot of money. This measure is one

way we can address health-care issues that affect us, the taxpayers, as a

result of smoking and tobacco use.”

Dixon did not return phone calls by press time.

Councilwoman Heather Somers, also running for reelection, said she

also supports the measure.

“I’m in favor of using the money for health care,” she said. “I don’t

feel it is appropriate that the money, generated to help people become

more aware of tobacco problems, should be used to clean up the bankruptcy

problem.”

Paty Madueno, a Costa Mesa resident and a representative of the Orange

County Congregation Organization that helped to put the measure on the

ballot, said she appreciates the councilwomen’s support.

“Their support is important because supervisors need to see that

people support the need for health care,” she said. “This measure is very

important because a lot of working people are not eligible for health

care and if they get sick, they will lose time and we will lose

productivity. Health should be a top priority, not a bottom one.”

Councilmen Gary Monahan and Joe Erickson said they have not yet taken

positions on the measure.