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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 23, 2001)
Tobacco money may help health care BY GEORGE GREEN Sen. Jim Jensen of Omaha was a busy man Thursday. He helped engineer a sweep ing plan to spend $50 million of tobacco settlement money on die state’s health care system. And he introduced a bill to bump up die tax on cigarettes by 30 cents per pack. Ironically, his bids to improve Nebraskans’ health could conflict with each other. Tobacco companies will fork over the $50 million chunk of change to the state each of the next 25 years. lb pay their dues, the tobacco companies need to stay in busi ness. And hikes in the cigarette tax could cut dowji on the number of smokers and reduce the produc er’s income. If enough smokers quit, the tobacco companies could go bankrupt Jensen said he wasn’t worried about the possible paradox. “Anything we can do to stop smoking is a good thing,” he said. Moreover, he said, the tobacco settlement is a national issue and the companies' profits are based on consumption nationwide. Therefore, Jensen said, if a few of Nebraska’s 393,000 smokers quit the companies wifi still turn a profit "We’re in pretty good shape," Jensen said. With this optimism in mind, Jensen lauded the tobacco plan created by a joint session of the ' ASn ' 24th Annual Delta Sigma Pi Spina Bifida Volleyball/Basketball Tournament Friday, February 23 & Saturday, February 24 @ the Campus Recreation Center All proceeds benefit the Spina Bifida Association of Star City. We would like to thank the following sponsors for their support: ▲ m_, Associated AMEKI1AS.WI SB Ear- nose and throat UFEbSURANaOGRP Physicians, p.c. Harding STEPHEN ROSNO Shultz & Downs M cooo/year Quick inc. aprcV VMJcjMc,_ AK I If A P-OJ* 2260* Lincoln. NE 68542-2640 JSSHJmS mSmSiSti V 7 • A; ,. - - ■: 4 : . . , . ./ ,.t Health and Appropriations com mittees. The joint committee com prised 16 members who each had ideas about how to spend the money, he said. Add Gov. Mike Johanns to the group, Jensen said, and you have a bunch of different priorities. "For 16 people to come to an agreement is somewhat remark able,” he said. These 16 people cranked out the following plan: ■ $19 million for mental health ■ $10 million for medical research at the prompting of Johanns ■ $8.5 million for public health grants ■ $3 million for developmen * tal disabilities ■ $1 million for respite care ■ $500,000 for a mental health study Sen. Nancy Thompson of Papillion said the bill was a step in the right direction, but she said more needed to be done. “We need to double up every thing on here to do it right,” she said. Jensen said the bill would a go a long way in helping out a strug gling health care system. In particular, he said the aid to mental health would increase bed space in hospitals and put an end to a growing problem. “Right now we’re in a crisis,” he said. The Associated Press con tributed to this report ———i Bill to keep city walls dean The Judiciary Committee heard testimony Thursday on a bill making graffiti a crime. Sen. John Hilgert of Omaha introduced the bill, which would broadly define graffiti as any unwanted dec orations on objects outside. Under the bill, a person scratching his or her initials onto a rock could be cited for graffiti and receive penalties ranging from a $500 fine to one year in prison. Omaha senators Kermit Brashear and Ernie Chambers raised questions about the bill’s general language. Bill to boost tobacco tax Sen. Jim Jensen of Omaha wants to up the tax on ciga rettes by 30 cents in the hopes the increase will convince of a few of Nebraska's 393,000 smokers to quit. The Revenue Committee heard testimony on LB792, Jensen’s bill, Thursday. Overshadowing the testi mony was the release of pro posal made by Health and Appropriations committees on how to spend Nebraska’s chunk of the settlement with tobacco companies. Critics of Jensen’s bill worry that an increase in taxes might force some peo ple to kick the habit and con sequently put the tobacco companies out of business. Bankrupt tobacco compa nies couldn’t fork over $50 million a year to the state, which it owes the state under the settlement. The joint-committee pro posal would earmark the $50 million for mental health, medical research, public health, public health grants, developmental disabilities, respite care and a mental health study. Nebraskans may enjoy a tax holiday if bill passes Sen. Patrick Bourne of Omaha wants to give taxpay ers a break when they pick out back-to-school items for their kids. His bill, LB498, would sus pend the sales tax on certain clothing and footwear items for a limited time to help needy families pay for the necessities. “I want to give Nebraska families a break,” Bourne said. Compiled by George Green. CFA votes down budget addition BYJILLZEMAN The Committee for Fees Allocation on Thursday voted down the University Program Council’s request for an addi tional $10,000 to its budget. The request was tabled at Tuesday’s meeting because CFA Chairman Brent Stanfield said there were too many unan swered questions in UPC’s budget. CFA originally recommend ed UPC get the same amount in student fees that it did last year - $121,500. This year, UPC requested $130,295 in student fees and when CFA voted that down, UPC appealed it Stanfield said the committee voted 6-3 Thursday to not pass UPC’s appeal. Stanfield said the programs UPC planned for next year were similar to what it planned this year, so no additional money was necessary to fund them. “There was no dire need to give them more money for the programs,” he said. i “There was no dire need to give them more money for the programs Brent Stanfield CFA Chairman UPC President Tom St. Germain said his committee would go forward with its plans for the fall semester. In the fall, UPC plans to work on events for Big Red Welcome and Homecoming, he said. The increase in student fees would have gone toward special events, such as when Maya Angelou visited campus last semester. Although his budget was voted down, St. Germain said he didn’t think CFA had any nega tive motives were behind the decision. “Of course, as UPC presi dent, I’d love to see more money,’’ he said. "We’ll just do the best with what we get” -r-1 Saturday, Sunday, feb. 24 • 10 a.m. TO 9 p.m. feb. 25 • noon TO 6 pjil ALL PRERECORDED MUSIC OR SALE! CDs WERE $ 14.98, $ 15.98, $ 16.98, $ 17.98 now $11*88! j ALL OTHER CDs/TAPES ARE 20% OFF! Sr 1 . USED CDs ARE $ I OFF! First 100 customers per store win a trip to the Prize Vault! Register to win other prizes & in-store specials! ’ . * . . This isrit some lame3liour safe irshereaHNng. ' -I * .. NO COUPONS DURING THIS SALE. i- -__. _ __^j ^ —,—.—