Bergeson: Use Tobacco Funds on Health Care

Former county supervisor Marian Bergeson, in a debate Friday, urged support for pro-health initiative Measure H, charging that the county shirked its responsibility on an old promise to pay for health costs.

Bergeson said that in 1976 when the county sold its only hospital to UC Irvine, it promised to reimburse the private health care sector for the costs of filling the void and providing medical services.

“Unfortunately, the county never fully kept their promise,” said Bergeson, a former assemblywoman who was elected to the board in November 1994 and left in October 1996.

About 100 people attended the debate sponsored by the Orange County Public Affairs Assn. The two initiatives, Measures H and G, will appear on the Nov. 7 countywide ballot. The measure with the most votes will win.

Measure H would require the county to spend 80% of an estimated $30 million a year from the national tobacco settlement on health care and anti-tobacco programs, with the remaining 20% for law enforcement.

By contrast, Measure G, drafted by Orange County Treasurer-Tax Collector John M.W. Moorlach, would use 40% of the money to pay down the county’s bankruptcy debt, 42% for health care and 18% for jails.

The county expects to receive about $30 million annually for 25 years under the tobacco settlement, with annual allotments after 2025 to be determined later. A majority of board members had indicated they wanted to use the money to build jails and reduce the county’s debt.

“The county has $950 million still to pay for its bankruptcy debt,” said Moorlach, who participated in the debate. “The county has an opportunity to reduce the debt, and it should.”

In response to a Moorlach comment that Measure G would allow for a faster paydown of the county’s debt much as a homeowner might pay off a mortgage, state Sen. Joe Dunn (D-Santa Ana), disagreed.

“You don’t have the luxury of paying your mortgage early if you have other debts. In this case, the county has the health care private sector [which has accrued] $200 million in uncompensated services.”