State of Maryland squandered $3 Billion and what do we have to show for it?
Al Ritter
As I reported back in 2008 in a previous article the Tobacco
Industry entered into a settlement in 1998 with the state of Maryland to fund
smoking cessation programs and also direct funding for relief to individuals because
of tobacco related illnesses.
From 1998 to 2020 Maryland has received over $3 Billion from
this settlement and while pocketing most all the money into the general slush
fund has spent little to nothing on cessation programs (.03%)
I warned Marylanders then that the spending Democrats would
get so used to this money that they would never rein back spending after the
money disappeared. The settlement was only for 25 years and is due to expire in
2023.
Fast forward to Maryland’s new tax and spend bill SB
496 otherwise known as the Kirwan Bill. Gov. Hogan vetoed the bill but the
legislature overturned his veto. House Dems disguised this bill as “Recovery
for the Economy, Livelihoods, Industries, Entrepreneurs, and Families Relief
Act.”
Here’s the kicker funding for this program will come from doubling cigarette taxes and flavored cigarettes and cigars. Although it will hardly make up the difference in lost income from the Tobacco Settlement of 1998 it’s a sure sign that the legislature is desperately looking for ways to make up the lost money! So where has the majority of the $3 billion gone Peter Franchot?
https://www.tobaccofreekids.org/assets/factsheets/0365.pdf
http://alspoliticalview.blogspot.com/search?q=tobacco+settlement
https://www.marylandattorneygeneral.gov/Pages/Tobacco/escrowact.aspx
4 comments:
I had NO idea how much the state had received from that settlement! This is disgraceful!
The state definitely has no problems spending our money and no problem raising taxes!
Wait till they start collecting the BILLIONS in new taxes under the new education funding plan.
Well Maryland now has legalized Cannabus and offline betting to tax the poor and stupid soooooo
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