ALAMEDA COUNTY: Doles Out $3M From Cigarette Tax

      Alameda County officials yesterday distributed more than $3 million from the Proposition 10 cigarette tax revenue to a number of public agencies, including those that focus on children's health issues, the Contra Costa Times reports. Approved in 1998, the initiative levied a 50-cent-per-pack tax on cigarettes and earmarked the revenue for child development programs. Doling out the first major distribution of the estimated $20 million revenue, officials provided a $250,000 grant for mental health screenings at day care centers and a $49,000 grant for prenatal programs for teenagers. Nearly one-third of yesterday's grants were given to public agencies. While several smaller grants were given to other agencies to improve their facilities, county officials indicated that they still have millions of dollars to distribute this year (Holbrook, 4/28).