FINLEY, N.D. -- I'd urge North Dakota voters to reject Measure 3 for several reasons.
The tobacco settlement dollars were certainly intended to pay for some prevention programs and have been doing so for years. The Legislature has set up very successful programs using many of the Centers for Disease Control guidelines.
The Legislature has extended the program across the state in counties of all sizes. If the sponsoring group needs more money, it should again be making the case to the Legislature.
Tobacco use has dropped dramatically under the state plan. Many individual businesses and cities have exercised local control in passing stricter prevention laws. The use of tobacco is dropping dramatically and will continue to do so without Measure 3.
I believe it was clear that the tobacco settlement dollars were also to reimburse states for the high cost of tobacco use to the public entities. As a former county commissioner and state legislator, I can say with absolute certainty that the state and counties spent millions of dollars in tobacco-related costs among their Medicaid populations, among people who are on other social service programs and among political subdivisions workers as well.
ADVERTISEMENT
Education needs and water development were often underfunded in the time when dollars were short. Tobacco-related expenses caused some of the shortfall, so it would seem only fair that education and water development shared in the settlement dollars.
If passed, Measure 3 threatens the funding for water projects across our state, including flood control and bringing safe water to our communities.
The sponsors point out that this is "new" tobacco money. However, state officials are right in pointing out the new money wasn't unexpected -- and, in fact, has been used in planning to provide for water project repayment funding.
Measure 3 also states that if there isn't enough to cover a comprehensive statewide tobacco prevention and control program, money would be transferred from the Water Devlopment Trust Fund in an amount determined by the tobacco group's executive committee.
There should be bipartisan outrage among politicians from both parties as well as the news media about the lack of any elected public-official oversight of this committee. The committee members would be in charge of spending millions of dollars that belong to North Dakota taxpayers without answering to anyone beside themselves.
The sponsors of this group have many other avenues to get the funding they seek, including the Legislature. There is plenty of funding available in the state's surplus to fund anything that can be justified to their elected representatives.
Again, I urge a no vote on Measure 3.
William Devlin
ADVERTISEMENT
Devlin is a former state legislator.
