Newspapers / Daily Tar Heel (Chapel … / Jan. 11, 2000, edition 1 / Page 7
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Iljr Sally (Ear Mppl State Lawmakers Divvy Tobacco Fund Legislators allocated the $4.6 billion fund to tobacco growers, health interests and a charitable foundation. By Courtney Weill State & National Editor MARCH 17 - State legislators came to a final decision Tuesday on the allo cation of the expected $4.6 billion award from a national tobacco settle ment. Despite Republican concerns, both houses passed and Gov. Jim Hunt signed into law a plan that allotted half ot the money to a nonprofit charitable foundation and divided the other half between those working in tobacco-relat ed fields and health interests. The decision came one day after Attorney General Mike Easley request ed a three-day extension on a Monday deadline to set up the charitable foun dation or the money would be directly distributed by legislators. The deal came several months after North Carolina put its signature on a s2oti billion deal that effectively ended the host of law suits that had bedeviled major tobacco compa nies for the better part of a. decade. Most of the 46 states that signed the agreement said they intended to use much of their share for “Regardless of anything else, you ’re going to see signs in farmers’yards that say, ‘Auction. N.C. Rep. Jim Carpenter R-Macon health education to prevent youth smoking. but North Carolina’s economic dependence on tobacco will require a large portion of the fund to be used to relieve tobacco farmers hurt by a poor crop last year and quota reductions caused by Big Tobacco’s legal woes. State lawmakers now must decide the final structure of the foundation, which is designed to deliver aid to tobacco dependent communities, said Rep. Verla Insko, D-Orange. She said the main question remaining after weeks of partisan debate was how "***'■ Jh Eum, mmm jgsilp IP/* . -> WwamuMßEEamm?* IS Jtk WLI mm much control to give the foundation’s board and how much to retain in the N.C. General Assembly. During the past month, Democrats fought for the health interests and the creation of the charitable foundation, while Republicans insisted on funds for farmers. Sen. Ellie Kinnaird, D-Orange, said she wished more money would have been allotted to health interests. “The compromise meant that less was going into health care,” Kinnaird said. “The fanners got a lot. It’s hard to say what equity is.” Although she sympathized with the farmers, Kinnaird insisted that health, not wealth, should be the main focus of the settlement fund. “The suit was filed to repay the state for health care costs.” Insko said the plan was the best option available, emphasizing the virtues of the foundation. “I think the real advantage to the foundation is that it creates something with a substantive amount of money to go to a community,” she said. “It has the potential to promote eco nomic development for long-term peri ods of growth.” But Republicans insisted farmers would do better by scrapping the foun dation and dividing the money between farmers and health pro grams. “Regardless of anything else, you’re going to see signs in farmers’ yards that say, ‘Auction,’” said Rep. Jim Carpenter, R- Macon. “How many people are going to believe anything that comes from the legislature, if we vote for this bill that will put farmers out of business?” Sen. Bob Shaw, R-Guilford, said part of the money earmarked for the foun dation to help “tobacco-dependent com munities” should be put in the trust fund for tobacco workers. The trust fund will guarantee direct aid to farmers and avoid the manipula tion of the money by local governments or other bureaucratic agencies. Year in Review North Carolina This is one [QljjQ that doesn’t repeat anything. Center-Mounted Instrument Panel. Mega storage space. Elbow Room Aplenty. Just A FEW FEATURES THAT MAKE THE TOYOTA ECHO LIKE NO OTHER SUBCOMPACT ON THE ROAD. □H, AND SINCE SOME THINGS ARE WORTH REPEATING, YOU’LL GET THE SAME GREAT QUALITY YOU EXPECT FROM TOYOTA AT A TOTALLY REFRESHING PRICE. WHICH MEANS THIS IS AN EC H □ YOU’LL BE HEARING A LOT ABOUT. www.buyatoyota.com ®TOYOTA changing .everyday.-. ®TOYOTA COLLEGE RUSH Get great seats at a great price. Purchase Upper Level $33 seats for sls and Lower Level $44 seats for S2O. Tickets can be purchased up to 48 hours prior to any game based on availability. College ID required. & Philadelphia Flyers Jan. 11 7:3OPM New York Rangers Jan. 20 7:OOPM Buffalo Sabres Jan. 22 I:3OPM Montreal Canadiens Jan. 24 7:3OPM Phoenix Coyotes Jan. 25 7:3OPM New Jersey Devils Jan. 28 7:3OPM Florida Panthers Feb. 1 7:3OPM Montreal Canadiens Feb. 17 7:3OPM Tampa Bay Lightning Feb. 19 7:3OPM Washington Capitals Feb. 21 I:3OPM Florida Panthers Feb. 24 7:3OPM Chicago Blackhawks Mar. 8 7:3OPM Boston Bruins Mar. 10 7:3OPM Atlanta Thrashers Mar. 12 I:3OPM Edmonton Oilers Mar. 15 7:3OPM St. Louis Blues Mar. 22 7:OOPM New York Islanders Mar. 26 I:3OPM Buffalo Sabres Mar. 27 7:3OPM Nashville Predators Mar. 29 7:3OPM Philadelphia Flyers Apr. 2 I:3OPM Atlanta Thrashers Api. 9 I:3OPM TICKETS AVAILABLE THROUGH THE CfiSSSKII BOX OFFICE at 919-681-2323. or www.caneshockey.com Tuesday, January 11,2000 7
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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