GOP blocks tobacco tax, groups say

Health advocates: Campaign money has role in debate

BY AARON CLARK
The Associated Press

February 21, 2007

A coalition of health and children's groups Tuesday accused House Republicans -- some of whom have taken thousands of dollars in campaign money from tobacco companies -- of trying to thwart a proposed 84.5-cent-per-pack cigarette tax increase to fund children's health programs.

"Oregonians are outraged when they hear that the tobacco industry is trying to block healthy-kids legislation," said Maribeth Healey, a member of Healthy Kids Now, a coalition representing 360,000 Oregonians who support the bill. "We will do whatever it takes for lawmakers to know that Oregonians want them to stand with our children, not the tobacco industry."

The tax would fund health coverage for the 117,000 children in Oregon who lack it.

Republicans said they oppose the tax increase because it doesn't provide a stable source of revenue, which threatens the long-term viability of the program.

"They are trying to frame us as being lackeys for the tobacco lobby when the truth is we have been insistent that if we are going to fund the Healthy Kids Program it should be from the general fund, not by a declining revenue source such as tobacco taxes," said Nick Smith, a spokesman for House Minority Leader Wayne Scott of Canby.

Since 2004, tobacco companies have spent more than $500,000 in Salem on lobbying and campaign donations, with most of the money going to Republicans, according to the Portland-based Money in Politics Research Action Project.

House Republicans accepted $52,500 in political contributions between September 2005 and the November 2006 elections, while House Democrats received none, according to the report.

Critics charge that the money is being used to block the cigarette tax increase and other legislation that would curb smoking and nicotine addiction.

But House Republicans say Democrats have also received tobacco dollars since they came to power in November. According to campaign expenditure reports, the House Democratic caucus accepted at least $10,000 from tobacco companies in January of 2007.

Democrats will need all of their 31 votes and those of five Republicans to pass the bill in the House because it is a revenue-raising measure.