Legislation > Tobacco Prevention and Control Program Funding

BILL NUMBER
AB 75 (State Budget): Tobacco Prevention and Control Program Funding

(Page 248)

LEAD AUTHOR
Governor Doyle

DESCRIPTION
Governor Doyle's budget proposed $14.35 million per year for the Tobacco Prevention and Control Program (TPCP). Similar to the position of many state programs in the proposed budget, this was a modest funding cut from the current biennium.  By the end of the budget process, both houses passed a budget that includes deep cuts for tobacco prevention funding, bringing the TPCP to just $6.8 million per year.  This 55% cut is part of the budget package that will head to the governor for his signature on Monday, June 29.

ANALYSIS
The state's tobacco prevention and control program has been funded too long at level lower than what's recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Fully funding the program at the recommended $64 million per year would provide a much-needed boost to help thousands more smokers quit, as well as reach children with prevention programs. A fully funded tobacco prevention and control program is a win-win. It would save lives and pay for itself in reduced healthcare costs to Wisconsin taxpayers.

The deep cuts proposed by the budget conference committee and approved by the legislature threaten to halt or even reverse Wisconsin's recent progress toward lowering youth and adult smoking rates.

STATUS
The Joint Finance Committee held six public hearings across the state on the proposed budget, where many tobacco prevention program supporters testified in favor of the TPCP. As a result, on April 23, the Joint Finance Committee voted to restore funding to $30.5 million over the next biennium. The TPCP's funding level will receive a final vote by the Legislature as a part of the final budget package.

On May 7, in light of new information about the state's budget deficit, Governor Doyle announced a total cut of up to five percent across the board for all state programs.

On May 28, the Joint Finance Committee voted to roll back the April TPCP funding restoration plus an additional $5 million per year cut.  Unlike the standard five percent decrease, this cut represents nearly 40% of the TPCP's operating budget.

On June 25, a budget conference committee crafted a budget that included even deeper cuts for tobacco prevention funding, bringing the TPCP to just one-tenth of the CDC's recommendation. Both houses of the legislature voted to approve the conference committee budget.  This cut represents a 55% reduction of TPCP funding and, if approved as part of the final budget package, would severely affect the TPCP's ability to continue to drive down smoking rates and save state taxpayers money through prevented healthcare expenditures.

The budget will head to the governor's desk on Monday, June 29.

TAKE ACTION
Call your state lawmakers and tell them you are disappointed in the 55% tobacco prevention funding cut.

Updated on June 29, 2009