Uses Suggested for Money From Tobacco Settlement

The city’s chief legislative analyst on Wednesday presented a report that suggests ways to allocate Los Angeles’ expected share of money from the national tobacco settlement.

A portion would go toward developing sports fields if the council and mayor approve the recommendations presented by legislative analyst Johanne Gaudioso to the Arts, Health and Humanities Committee.

The Valley has more than 3,000 acres of open space that could be developed into athletic fields to increase participation in city sports programs, officials said.

The city expects to receive $312 million over the next 20 to 25 years, and officials are now identifying priorities and procedures for disbursement, according to Gaudioso’s report.

The funds are part of the $246-billion settlement that ended more than 40 lawsuits filed by states, counties and cities against the tobacco industry.

Gaudioso recommended the money be spent in three ways: a maximum of $10 million a year to make sidewalk improvements to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act; up to $600,000 a year for city department activities to enforce existing laws regulating tobacco products; and a maximum of $2 million a year to promote healthy alternatives for youths, including developing sports fields.

In previous testimony to the committee, the Department of Recreation and Parks described existing sports programs, particularly baseball, that have been successful in encouraging youths to adopt healthy lifestyles. Building a softball complex would cost about $1.6 million. The report recommends using $2 million to develop playing fields.

The settlement funds will come in increments of $10 million to $12 million a year. The first installment is expected in 2000.