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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 21, 2020)
Wednesday, October 21, 2020 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Tobacco tax, campaign contributions on ballot By Sara Cline Associated Press/Report for America SALEM (AP) 4 Two mea- sures the Oregon Legislature placed on the November 3 ballot for Oregonians to vote on include limiting campaign contributions and increasing tax on cigarettes, as well as creating a tax on electronic cigarettes. Both have received wide- spread and bipartisan sup- port, which proponents hope will help push the measures to victory. A vote in favor of ballot Measure 108 would increase Oregon9s cigarette tax by $2 per pack 4 from $1.33 to $3.33 4 increase the cap on cigar taxes to $1 per cigar and add a 65 percent tax on e-cig- arettes and vaping products, which are not currently taxed. The funds from the tax increase would be used for public health programs including smoking prevention and cessation programs. The projected new annual revenue is about $130 million. Supporters of the bill include Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, state lawmak- ers and organizations such as the American Heart Association, the American Lung Association, the Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems. Brown said not only does she believe the measure would save lives and help people quit smoking, but it will also <ensure Oregonians can con- tinue to access the health care they need to thrive= due to the increased funds. All Democrats in Oregon9s House and Senate, except for one, voted in favor of the tax. <Ultimately, I9m tired of seeing my patients 4 too often the working poor who were targeted by big tobacco in their youth 4 die pre- mature and painful deaths because of the impact of tobacco. This weighs on me every day,= said Rep. Rachel Prusak (D-West Linn), who is a nurse practitioner. <And it also ultimately weighs on the state 4 currently, the Oregon Health Plan spends roughly $374 million a year just treat- ing tobacco-related illnesses.= According to the American Cancer Society, in 2020 it is estimated that 1,750 Oregonians will die from lung or bronchus cancer. Cancer, in general, is the leading cause of death in Oregon. Out of the 22 Republicans in the House, Rep. Cheri Helt and Rep. Greg Smith were the only two who voted in favor of the tax. During a committee ses- sion about the-then bill, Smith said he supported it because the people who would receive public assistance for health care will likely end up pay- ing for a portion of the tax themselves. According to Oregon Secretary of State campaign finance records, the Yes for a Healthy Future/Oregonians for a Smoke Free Tomorrow political action commit- tee has collected more than $13.1 million in campaign contributions. The only political action committees that filed opposi- tion to the measure with the Oregon Secretary of State9s Office was the Taxpayers Association of Oregon, whose leaders say the tax would neg- atively impact low-income consumers and small busi- nesses selling the products. Among states with the highest cigarette tax rate in 2019 were New York and Connecticut, which both tax $4.35 per pack. As of 2019, more than a dozen states including Oregon levied a tax rate ranging from $1 to $1.98 per pack. If the measure were to pass, Oregon would sit with at least ten other states, includ- ing Washington, whose tax rate for a pack of cigarettes is between $2 and $3.10. Also on November9s ballot is Measure 107 which, if voted in favor of, would amend the Oregon Constitution and allow for state, counties and cities to place limitations on politi- cal contributions and expen- ditures, require disclosure of campaign contributions and expenditures and allow rules requiring campaigns to be transparent about who paid for political advertisements. Currently, there is no limit in contributions to candidates or ballot measures. Other states without limits include Alabama, Nebraska and Utah. In 1997, the Oregon Supreme Court ruled that the state constitution9s sec- tion, specifically regarding freedom of speech, prevents the Legislature from limiting campaign finance activity. The measure has received widespread and bipar- tisan support, including Brown, state senators and representatives. <A constitutional amend- ment must make it clear to voters and the courts that campaign contributions may be regulated and that the greatest transparency in cam- paigns is permissible,= Brown said. <My goal is to see last- ing constitutional authority to regulate campaign finance in Oregon and to see reasonable limits put in place.= K y l e M a r k l e y, a Libertarian and frequent can- didate for political office, filed his opposition to the measure saying that it would weaken Oregon9s freedom of speech guarantees. 27 The Nugget Newspaper Crossword By Jacqueline E. Mathews, Tribune News Service — Last Week’s Puzzle Solved — This Week’s Crossword Sponsors Market swings making you uneasy? Let’s talk. 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