RESOLUTION NO. _____________

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, COUNTY OF SAN MATEO, STATE OF CALIFORNIA

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RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF PROPOSITION 86, TAX ON CIGARETTES; INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT AND STATUTE

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RESOLVED, by the Board of Supervisors of the County of San Mateo, State of California, that

WHEREAS, Proposition 86 would impose a 13 cent tax on each cigarette ($2.60 per pack) sold in California generating approximately $1.2 billion in 2006-07 with declining amounts thereafter; and

WHEREAS, the increased cost of purchasing cigarettes could reduce the number of smokers in California and, in turn, reduce the number of cigarette related health problems; and

WHEREAS, under Proposition 46, approximately $756 million (74.5 percent of the Health Treatment and Services Account) of the generated revenue would be dedicated to hospital emergency and trauma care; and

WHEREAS, the San Mateo Medical Center could benefit from Proposition 46; and

WHEREAS, Proposition 46 would also dedicate 45.5 percent of the Health Maintenance and Disease Prevention Account (approximately $367 million in 2007-08) to children’s health coverage; and

WHEREAS, San Mateo County’s Health Families/Health Kids programs could benefit from this funding; and

NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY DETERMINED AND ORDERED that the Board of Supervisors by adoption of this resolution does hereby support Proposition 86 regarding a new tax on cigarettes.

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