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House OKs appropriation of tobacco funds
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Posted on Jun 15 2005
Despite a Babauta administration request for the Legislature to suspend the use of Tobacco Control Fund for fiscal year 2006, the House of Representatives passed a bill Friday appropriating “all monies deposited” in that particular source for health related programs.
The House approved House Bill 14-342, which appropriates some $1 million for the following programs: design and construction of Kagman Wellness Center and renovation and expansion of the San Roque Wellness Center ($492,000); youth tobacco-free programs ($70,000); youth learning centers ($20,000); school health education program ($200,000); women’s shelter staff funding ($25,000); Family Violence Task Force ($50,000); Rota health-related programs ($110,000); and Tinian programs ($110,000).
The bill was authored by Rep. Benjamin Seman and co-sponsored by several other lawmakers, mostly from the minority bloc.
A few months back, the House also passed House Bill 14-8, which appropriates $1.3 million of the Tobacco Control Funds for the same programs. That bill was also introduced by Seman.
In related news, the House Ways and Means Committee approved yesterday to identify only $206 million for fiscal year 2006.
The Babauta administration had submitted a $225.8 million budget package, which included proposed revenue generating measures such as the suspension of Tobacco Control Funds and Tobacco Settlement Funds, imposing a $6,000 increase on the poker license fee, and diversion of local poker funds to the General Fund.
These proposed measures would generate an additional $19 million in government revenues.
The administration said that only $206 million could be raised based on existing resources.
