Tobacco Settlement Money
* Re “Taxpayer Group Seeks Tobacco Deal,” May 17.
Cheers to the Ventura County Taxpayers Assn. for choosing not to oppose the tobacco lawsuit settlement initiative.
Something Supervisor Frank Schillo said in this article stood out. He said, “I think we rely on the Taxpayers Assn. to alert the public to things that are happening with their money.”
The tobacco settlement money is not “theirs.” This money comes directly from tobacco companies, not from taxpayers. I am unsure whether any of our supervisors comprehend this concept.
There is a great argument to be made that the Taxpayers Assn. should endorse the tobacco settlement initiative. The money should be used only for health care services and not for the supervisors to pad the general fund and cover for their mistakes.
Ventura County is in trouble financially because of actions this Board of Supervisors took while being paid with taxpayer dollars. Allowing it to solve its problems with private-sector dollars is wrong.
JOHN O’TOOLE
Simi Valley
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