Oregon Rejects Tobacco Tax Increase To Fund Children’s Health Care
Voters rejected a measure to increase the state cigarette tax by 84.5 cents per pack to fund health care coverage for uninsured children, the AP/Houston Chronicle reports (Danborn, AP/Houston Chronicle, 11/7).
The proposal would have provided health coverage for about 100,000 children, according to the AP/Raleigh News & Observer (AP/Raleigh News & Observer, 11/7).
Tobacco companies spent about $12 million to oppose the measure, which beat out spending in support of the measure by a 4-1 margin.
Gov. Ted Kulongoski (D) said, "What happened was the tobacco industry bought the election" (AP/Houston Chronicle, 11/7).