Bad girl. 
Posted on 10/01/2002 6:19:47 AM PDT by SheLion
Smokers have long complained that their rights are being taken away they can't puff in bars, restaurants or in the workplace and are subject to taxes. And if they work for Los Angeles County, they're also docked $10 a month. "This bad habit has cost me $90 so far this year,' said Bobi Johnson, Supervisor Gloria Molina's health deputy, and a smoker. "That doesn't count what I've spent buying these cigarettes.' Officials from area cities, the California State Association of Counties, the League of California Cities and the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California say they know of no other government agencies that have such a policy. "I think it's very unusual,' said League of California Cities spokeswoman Raechelle Cline. "I haven't been able to find any cities doing that, but that doesn't necessarily mean they aren't but that they haven't told us about it.' About 850 non-union county employees annually mark the "yes' box to the question: Have you used any tobacco products within the last 12 months? Those who do lose $120 a year in monthly payments. The county collects about $100,000 a year from smokers who, on the honor system, admit to their nicotine habit. "It's called a smoker's fee,' said Bill Lynes, the county's head of compensation. "It goes into a fund that helps defray the cost of health insurance for the larger group.' Lynes says the smoker's fee has been around since January, 1993, after the county Board of Supervisors approved it based on a recommendation from the chief administrative officer. The money is added to a pool of money that is allocated to all employees to spend for health insurance. The amount varies, based on salaries and years with the county. Employees who work in the county's Hahn Hall of Administration say patios and balconies on various floors are filled with the pushed-out smokers on their breaks some who do and some who don't cough up the smoker's fee each month. In any event, almost no one has complained, county officials say. "We really don't hear complaints about this, which is kind of interesting,' Lynes said.
Bad girl.
Good luck to him, hopefully he will have the same type of improvemnts mine as seen.
Well, a friend has to have another surgery, which makes three. So, I sure hope Bubba can get it done with just one surgery! Glad your hubby is doing good. Knees can be nasty!
I guess some would blame bad knees on smoking too, eh? hehe
HEY! YOU MIGHT HAVE SOMETHING THERE! 
She's on THIS picture, I think!
I'm sure they have THIS picture of her... SMOKING!
LOL, I am soooo surprised Illbay missed the opportunity.
Sad. Somebody should sue.
HEY! ALRIGHT! High 5!!!!!!
Yes, me too! heh!
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