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Burning Money
NY Times ^ | August 22, 2005 | HOWARD MARKEL

Posted on 08/21/2005 10:56:31 PM PDT by neverdem

IN the late 1990's, the tobacco companies made a historic legal settlement with every state and the District of Columbia, agreeing to pay $246 billion over 25 years for tobacco prevention and cessation programs. In the last five years, the states have received $40.7 billion in tobacco settlement revenue but have devoted only 5 percent of this money to fighting the tobacco epidemic.

Alabama has spent more than $1 million of this money on boot camps for juvenile delinquents, alternative schools and metal detectors and surveillance cameras for public schools.

Illinois has used $315 million for property tax relief and an earned-income tax rebate.

Michigan, which spends no money on tobacco prevention or cessation, has used 75 percent of its tobacco revenue to provide $2,500 college scholarships to high school students.

New York has used $700,000 to buy golf carts and an irrigation and sprinkler system for a public golf course in Niagara County.

In North Carolina, 75 percent of the tobacco settlement money went to provide assistance to the tobacco-producing community.

North Dakota spent about 45 percent of its settlement on water resources and flood control projects.

Virginia has spent $12 million to lay fiber-optic lines for broadband cable in southern sections of the state.

This lawsuit was never intended to balance ailing state budgets, let alone buy golf carts, cable lines and security cameras.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Editorial; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Alabama; US: District of Columbia; US: Illinois; US: Michigan; US: New York; US: North Carolina; US: North Dakota; US: Virginia
KEYWORDS: smoking; tobacco
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1 posted on 08/21/2005 10:56:33 PM PDT by neverdem
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To: neverdem
"Trusting the government with money is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys." --- PJ O'Rourke

Good post Doctor, keep them coming.

2 posted on 08/21/2005 10:57:40 PM PDT by Clemenza (Proud "Free Traitor" & Capitalist Pig)
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To: neverdem

BTTT


3 posted on 08/21/2005 11:01:02 PM PDT by Fiddlstix (This Tagline for sale. (Presented by TagLines R US))
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To: neverdem

and that's just from the lawsuit. just think of where all that money goes from the outrageous taxes on cigarettes.


4 posted on 08/21/2005 11:01:21 PM PDT by Nipplemancer (Abolish the DEA !)
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To: neverdem
In the last five years, the states have received $40.7 billion in tobacco settlement revenue but have devoted only 5 percent of this money to fighting the tobacco epidemic.

WTF? I thought all this money was supposed to pay for smoker's health care costs.

Even that spent to fight the "tobacco epidemic" (stupid wording) only buys dumb commercials, "tobacco free zone signs" (enough to make you check to see if the green leaf is on your lapel), and dorky billboards.

Giving money to a politician is like giving crack to a crackhead...

5 posted on 08/21/2005 11:02:34 PM PDT by Smokin' Joe (God save us from the fury of the do-gooders!)
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To: neverdem
"This lawsuit was never intended to balance ailing state budgets, let alone buy golf carts, cable lines and security cameras."

Oh yes it was. It certainly was.

6 posted on 08/21/2005 11:03:31 PM PDT by SteveMcKing ("I was born a Democrat. I expect I'll be a Democrat the day I leave this earth." -Zell Miller '04)
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To: neverdem

I remember threads here detailing the largess that Hugh Rodham collecting his part as an attorney of record

It was a wealth transfer plain and simple


7 posted on 08/21/2005 11:05:30 PM PDT by IncPen (There's nothing that a liberal can't improve using your money...)
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To: neverdem
Illinois has used $315 million for property tax relief and an earned-income tax rebate.

Yet my real estate taxes go up and up and I am not eligible for an "earned income tax gimme".

This is like all the lottery money that's supposed to go to education. What a joke.

8 posted on 08/21/2005 11:05:42 PM PDT by Graybeard58 (Remember and pray for Sgt. Matt Maupin - MIA/POW- Iraq since 04/09/04)
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To: neverdem
Wisconsin used the tobacco money to try and balance the state budget.

The AG who "negotiated" the settlement? Jim Doyle.

9 posted on 08/21/2005 11:09:06 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist
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To: neverdem

Some of the $ WA state has collected in gas tax revenue (which was earmarked for transportation) is going to smoking cessation programs.


10 posted on 08/21/2005 11:10:29 PM PDT by Just Lori (Ok, tag! Now you're it!)
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To: neverdem

"This lawsuit was never intended to balance ailing state budgets.."

Let's be honest here. This lawsuit was intended to line the pockets of lawyers and the pockets of the elected elite.

Now they're after Merck for murdering innocent people with Vioxx. I say shut down industry until we can get these lawyers under control!


11 posted on 08/21/2005 11:11:15 PM PDT by Humidston (No Racial Profiles = Proof liberalism is a mental disorder)
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To: Smokin' Joe

WTF? I thought all this money was supposed to pay for smoker's health care costs.


No no no..... see...... smokers pay MORE for health insurance if they can even get it thru their employers, but since some employers won't hire smokers at all, smokers have to quit because they can't afford cigarettes, so no more tax revenue from cigarettes, and the government will have to start taxing french fries and ho ho's. Then see ..... if you die from choking on french fries, your family will sue McDonalds and get a zillion dollar settlement, and the government will get that money thru the death tax after they already taxed the french fries that killed you.


12 posted on 08/21/2005 11:19:00 PM PDT by Just Lori (Ok, tag! Now you're it!)
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To: Spanaway Lori

The scariest part is your post makes absolutely perfect sense!


13 posted on 08/21/2005 11:35:02 PM PDT by Humidston (YO CINDY - WE'RE COMING! CAN YOU HEAR THE ENGINES?)
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To: Spanaway Lori
Oh, I know about the insurance thingy, I pay extra for health, auto (no reportable accidents in over 10 yrs/100000 mi.), homeowner's, life insurance, and lose 5 minutes of every 10 minute bum's rush doctor visit to the 'Lecture' about the eeeevils of tobacco.

It is a good thing I can smoke a cigarette after all that BS, it keeps the homicidal urges at bay....(8^D)

14 posted on 08/21/2005 11:37:08 PM PDT by Smokin' Joe (Tag Backs!)
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To: Smokin' Joe

Damn. I forgot about tag-backs.


15 posted on 08/21/2005 11:49:39 PM PDT by Just Lori (Ok, tag! Now you're it!)
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To: Spanaway Lori

LOL!


16 posted on 08/21/2005 11:50:11 PM PDT by Smokin' Joe (God save us from the fury of the do-gooders!)
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To: SheLion

This might be a good time to post some of your state budget studies you did a couple of years ago.


17 posted on 08/22/2005 12:15:23 AM PDT by Lokibob (All typos and spelling errors are mine and copyrighted!!!!)
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To: neverdem
Just confirms what most conservatives knew from the beginning-the tobacco settlement was just a legalized extortionist money grab from the get-go.
18 posted on 08/22/2005 3:32:01 AM PDT by libertylover (Liberal: A blatant liar who likes to spend other people's money.)
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To: Nipplemancer
and that's just from the lawsuit. just think of where all that money goes from the outrageous taxes on cigarettes.

No joke. I read somewhere that the taxes generated by Phillip Morris' tobacco alone is more than $20 million per day.
19 posted on 08/22/2005 4:33:06 AM PDT by Jaysun (Democrats: We must become more effective at fooling people.)
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To: Humidston
I say shut down industry until we can get these lawyers under control!

Ah!!! Let's just lock everyone out of the courthouses until we straighted it out. We must have industry, the lawyers we could certainly live without.
20 posted on 08/22/2005 4:36:12 AM PDT by Jaysun (Democrats: We must become more effective at fooling people.)
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