North Coast Oregon

Articles listed under the tag: Measure 50

Oregon Measure 50...Opponents, Supporters and Some History

by Tryan Hartill

(Part II of a series on Measure 50…..Here is a link to Part I)

Come November, there will be 2 ballot Measures for Oregonians to vote on, one will be Measure 50. As most NCO readers probably know, this would increase the tax on cigarettes 84.5 cents, from $1.18 to $2.03 per pack. Most of the proceeds will go toward the “Healthy Kids Program” with the rest to the Oregon Health Plan, Healthy Kids Safety Net,
(a health care grant program) and tobacco prevention.

Supporters

Supporters of the Measure have so far raised about $700,000. Donations are as follows:

• American Cancer Society: $100,000 cash and pledge

• American Lung Association: $50,000 pledge

• American Heart Association: $50,000 pledge

• Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems: $50,000 pledge and in-kind

• Coalition for a Healthy Oregon: $50,000 cash and in-kind

• Providence Health System: $50,000 pledge

• Kaiser Permanente: $50,000 pledge

• Mid-Valley Independent Physicians Association: $50,000 pledge

• Regence BlueCross: $50,000 pledge

• Tobacco-Free Kids: $50,000 pledge and in-kind

• Service Employees International Union Local 503: $50,000 cash and pledge

They are running their campaign though the website Healthy-kids.org and have already produced their first web ad which can be seen here. They have also hired Carol Butler, who was the lead person in defeating Measure 43 (abortion notification) last year.

Opponents

As one would expect the major tobacco companies are preparing their own campaign. 4 days ago RJ Reynolds filed papers with the Elections Division to form a Committee called “Oregonians Against the Blank Check”. On it’s heels, Phillip Morris also formed their own Committee called “Stop the Measure 50 Tax Hike”. They plan to spend at least 3 million to squash the Measure. Last year they spent about 100 million to oppose cigarette tax hikes in 4 States. The tax increases failed in California and Missouri, but passed in Arizona and South Dakota.

The Polls

Only one Poll has been revealed so far, by Riley Research. They contacted 406 voters and when read the title, 53% said they were in favor, 28% opposed and 19% undecided.

“Seems like I’ve Seen This Before”

And you would be correct. In 1999 Measure 44 was put on the ballot that was very similar. It raised the cigarette tax from 38 cents to 68 cents to increase funds for the Oregon Health Plan. This Measure also polled at a 2-1 advantage for supporters from the beginning. And the Measure ended up passing by 56% of the vote.

After the election, 47% of those who voted “no”, said they were against the Measure because smokers were being forced to pay a disproportionate share of health costs. And 36% said they wanted to curb wasteful spending by the Government. On the flip side, of those who voted “yes”, 66% said they wanted to curb smoking and surprisingly only 27% wanted to kick in more money to the Oregon Health Plan.

Measure 50....Healthy Kids...Cigarette Taxes

by Tryan Hartill

(This is part I of a series that will attempt to tackle the new proposed cigarette tax.)

What is Measure 50?

Measure 50 basically asks the voters of Oregon if they support Senate Bill 3. This Bill had a majority support it in the Legislature, but failed to get enough votes to actually pass it.

The Bill calls for a 84.5 cent tax on each pack of cigarettes to pay for health insurance.

The tax is estimated to bring in $116 million per year. This amount includes the expected cigarettes per capita decline, from higher taxes, calculated in.
Money from the tax distributed as follows:

• 68% to the “Healthy Kids Program”

• 18% for the Oregon Health Plan

• 10% to tobacco prevention

• 3% to the Healthy Kids Safety Net

• 1% to rural health clinics

The Healthy Kids Safety Net is a fund that will distribute grants through the Department of Human Services toward community health centers and safety net clinics.

Who is insured now?

There are about 900,000 kids (0-18 years old) in Oregon.

• 117,000 Oregon kids do not have health insurance.

• 225,000 have State-sponsored Insurance (Mostly Oregon Health Plan…funded 60% Fed Taxes and 40% State Taxes)

• 567,000 have Individual or Employer Insurance.

More below…...

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