BIG TOBACCO DUMPS CLOSE TO $9 MILLION INTO MONTANA TO FIGHT PAYING ITS FAIR SHARE FOR TOBACCO-RELATED DISEASE
(Helena, Mont.) – New campaign finance filings show Big Tobacco has dumped close to $9 million into Montana to fund the opposition to the Healthy Montana Initiative, I-185. If passed, I-185 would raise the state tobacco tax to ensure 100,000 Montanans including thousands of veterans and their families don’t lose their current healthcare through Medicaid. I-185 is supported by the Billings Chamber of Commerce, American Heart Association, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Tobacco-Free Kids Action Fund, Montana Hospital Association, family doctors and school nurses throughout the state.\
To date, Montanans Against Tax Hikes, which is funded almost exclusively by tobacco corporations – No on I-185, hasreceived $8,841,919 in monetary and in-kind contributions.*
This includes $7,773,422 contributed in the most recent campaign finance reporting period from July 28, 2018 – August 27, 2018.
Montanans Against Tax Hikes Campaign Finance Report
Big Tobacco accounted for virtually all of the contributions (99.2%)
- Altria contributed $8,501,299. (parent company of Phillip Morris Tobacco)
- RAI contributed $267,148. (RJ Reynolds Tobacco)
- Liberty Smoke, Inc. accounted for a negligible amount.
MATH is currently dedicated to spending $2,245,874 on TV, satellite, cable and radio in Montana through September 10, 2018 with an undisclosed amount going to digital advertising.
The report comes as the Commissioner of Political Practices is continuing to investigate potential illegal campaign activitiesin Montana linked to groups funded by tobacco corporations attempting to defeat I-185.
“First Big Tobacco lied for generations about the health effects of their deadly products, then they lied about marketing to kids, and now they are spending at levels we have not seen in recent years for a citizen’s initiative to protect their profits at the expense of healthcare for 100,000 Montanans. If you follow the money, it’s clear that the world’s largest tobacco corporations are willing to stop at nothing to protect their profits. In the meantime, all Montanans are paying for the toll Big Tobacco is taking on our families with increased taxes to the tune of close to $800 per taxpayer. With I-185, if you don’t smoke – you don’t pay,”said Amanda Cahill, American Heart Association-Montana.
Increasing the state cigarette tax by $2 per pack will:
- decrease youth smoking rates by 20.6 percent;
- prevent 8,000 Montana kids from becoming adult smokers; and
- help 9,300 adults quit smoking.
A recent Bureau of Business and Economic Research economic analysis of Medicaid expansion in Montana shows it has infused more than $500 million into Montana’s economy while reducing state spending to the tune of more than $40 million to date. The report details very clearly that Medicaid expansion in Montana has:
- Reduced medical debts
- Prevented bankruptcies
- Improved credit scores among working families
Fewer Montanans are going into bankruptcy because of a medical emergency and are able to continue working thanks to Medicaid expansion.
The opposition to I-185 is funded almost entirely by the lobbying arms of some of the world’s largest tobacco corporations and is currently under investigation by the Montana Commissioner of Political Practices.
Learn more about I-185 at www.healthymontana.org.
*does not include individual donations, which have been negligible.