Jump to full article: Cleveland (OH) Plain Dealer blogs, 2008-04-04
Author: Posted by Harlan Spector
Intro: In stunning act of defiance, the Ohio Tobacco Prevention Foundation board voted today to move $190 million in an attempt to thwart Gov. Ted Strickland's plan to raid the anti-tobacco fund to pay for a jobs program.
The board authorized the transfer to one or more outside tobacco-prevention groups, two days after Strickland announced a $1.5 billion economic stimulus plan that called for taking most of the foundation's $270 million endowment. The foundation board also voted to ask the Ohio attorney general to appoint special counsel to represent it in the money fight.
The foundation said in a prepared statement that draining the endowment "will jeopardize health services that are saving Ohioans' lives."
"This move would create open season for the tobacco industry to sell its products to our children and, as a result, thousands of Ohioans will be victimized and die prematurely."
The foundation said it would give the money to one or three organization in equal parts: the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, the American Legacy Foundation and the Ohio Hospital Association for Healthy Communities Foundation. . . .
Strickland's office said in a statement Friday, "The governor believes the tobacco foundation has played an important role in reducing tobacco use but we've seen that policy changes have had an effect as well. The foundation will have $40 million with which to continue its mission and to attract private contributions to match and support its ongoing work."
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