The Richmond County Board of Health may be in favor of a tax increase on tobacco.
“Being a non-smoker, I would have to ask if tobacco use is a health hazard,” said Abbie Covington Richmond County Board of Health member. “And if I answer that it is, I would have to say that it is my responsibility as a board of health member to do what I can to effectively reduce the risk imposed by this health issue.”
Richmond County Board of Health Director Dr. Tommy Jarrell gave the members a choice on whether or not they wanted to go on record with their position on the increase.
“What I anticipate will happen, is when the North Carolina General Assembly goes back into session in January, someone will probably introduce a tax increase on tobacco,” he said.
He says that he doesn’t know if this will happen for sure, but the board seemed to be in agree on this issue.
In other matters:
n According to the Richmond County Health Department 2009-2010 annual report there were 412 individuals born in 2009 and the exact same number of individuals died.
“I don’t know if it was a typo but it ended up being the exact same number,” Jarrell said.
n With the 2009-2010 budget, the department was able to stay under the budget that was allotted to them, which was $4,448,863. The total amount spent was $4,072,323.26.
“We are trying to be responsible with the funding that we receive,” Jarrell said. “We were able to not spend six percent of county money.”
For the entire budget, the department was able to stay nine and a half percent under the total amount.
n The social work department was in charge of the Community Alternative Program. This program is designed to keep individuals out of nursing homes and in their own home. But, there were still 113 people on the waiting list at the end of the year.
“Those 113 families need help, and its just going to take some time to get to them,” Jarrell said.
n The eleventh Golden “A” Awards recognized 63 establishment in Richmond County.
“That is our largest number to date,” Jarrell said.
The total number of grade “A’s” that were received by restaurants were 99.7 percent and only one business that received a “B.”
n The board also has came out with its 2010-2014 strategic plan. The number one goal is to get citizens more prepared when it comes to taking care of themselves in a disaster.
“It was obvious from that assessment that some of our citizens don’t know how to take care of themselves in the event of an emergency,” Jarrell said. “We, as a county, need to do more to help our citizens become more prepared.”
He went on to say that another goal that they had is to record educational videos that will be able to be viewed on the educational and governmental channel, which is 16.
n The board discussed the updates on the vaccination law.
“We don’t know what the impact is going to be on this county specifically,” Jarrell said.
He confirms that the childhood vaccines are on hand and that the amount that was invested was $3,000.
“We will have to see, over a period of time, how this will effect the amount of immunizations given at the health department,” he said. “This is since some parents will have to pay for their child to be immunized. I anticipate that there will be some changes as time goes on.”
The next meeting will be on Sept. 21.
For more information on the Richmond County Health Department or to make an appointment call (910) 997-8300 or locate them on their Web site at publichealth.southernregionalahec.org/richmond.
Staff Writer Hollie Nivens can be reached at (910) 997-3111 ext. 19 or by e-mailing at hnivens@yourdailyjournal.com
People are not going to stop smoking, it is their right to do so and not your duty or right to punish them for so doing.
I sell tobacco products and see first hand the impact that raising tobacco taxes has on their budget, why don`t you propose a tax of one dollar per dozen on golf balls, nobody would give up golf and if it hurt them they could always search in the out of bounds areas and find used balls, there is no place for a smoker to hunt lost cigarettes.
Please go back to your board work and leave us alone, putting your 2 cents worth in was a mistake much like Obama getting into the Mosque issue.
Mind your own business as we will attempt to do.
louis b long, free man (for the time being)
Ahhhhh, being an ex smoker I would tell this woman that YES it does post a health hazard but it is the persons choice to smoke or not to smoke. So if something is a health hazard, tax it?? What about food? I think there should be a 7-10% meal tax on all prepared food.
Being a carnivor, I would have to ask if eating a plate full of fatback at a local restaurant is a health hazard?
More people die from fat related issues than smoking. I went to a grocery store here in the city. They had pig ears, chicken feet, snouts and you are worried about cigarettes?
People please post how many you know that have or died from smoking vs how many you know that have diabeties that are going to die from it.
I would have to ask Mrs Covington if drinking is a health hazzard. If the answer is "yes" I would have to say that is her "responsibility as a board of health member to do what I can to effectively reduce the risk imposed by this health issue." If people would look at the numbers they would realize that raising tobacco product taxes does not have their desired results. People will continue to pay the higher prices due to higher taxes.
Why do politicians ALWAYS take the easy way out & raise taxes instead of doing the moral thing and reduce spending. That's what the general public has to do, right?