Tobacco Settlement Under Discussion
06/05/00
The D.C. City Council decides this week how it would like to spend the city's share of the national tobacco settlement.
Mayor Anthony Williams and the council still don't agree on what to do with the $1.5 billion windfall. Williams wants to spend most of the money on public health and education programs, especially for African-Americans who smoke. U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher supports the mayor on that, calling funding of anti-smoking programs a no-brainer. Council wants to save and invest most of the money the first year, spending less than half of it. But members will confer with the mayor today to try to reach agreement before tomorrow's vote.