Tobacco Documents Online

Film -maker takes on big tobacco Rob R.eu-fer leads fight -to raise taims, aid ldds BY STEVE JOHNSON Maeurv News Starf Wn[cr Rob Reiner's fingers siap the table and lash at the air. His voice rises to an exasperated roar. His fleshy cheeks flish deep red. For a moment, the 51-year-old ac- Reiner tor and filmmaker almost seems re- cast as the excit- able "'lfeathead" from d12 '70s TV show "All in the Family" Only this time, his fnistra- tion isnY with Ar- clue Bunker, his crorchery and ul- tra-conservative fa- ther-in-law firom the sitcom. Rei- ners nemesis now is the tobacco indusay, which is battling his pet projecC Proposition 10. See PROP. 10, Back Page  PROP. 10 frvm Page IA The statewide initiative waild raise up to $750 million a year for a slew of young children's services by raising cigarette taxes 50 cents a pack Several business and taxpay- er groups have denounced the measure as wasteful and misguid- ed. But the most resistance is com- ing from tobacco companies, which are diggng deep into their corporate coffers to defeat the idea "Great cause, bad tax," says Tom lacuiq a spokesman for the Tobac- co Institute - the lndustry's main lobbyist. "WLo can argue with im- proving childhood development? But one can argue with the fimd- ing," which he said unfairly singles out smokers- ReineY'sresponse "I'm sick of it," Reiner howls in response.'Tm sick of these people >ELEC IT N killing our kids and not having to be held ac- countable for it. ... I mean we"re trying to help kids here " Proposition 10, which gath- ered nearly 1.2 million signatures to qualify for the Nov. 3 ballo4 is formally known as the California Children and Families Initiative. But many people simply call it the Reiner Initiative. That's under- standable. Reiner, the maker of such films as "71vs is Spinal Tap," "When Harry Met Sally' and "Ghosts of Mississippi," is not just the measure's most prominent pitchman. He approaches the role with an apostle's fervor. San Jose Mercury News October 4,1998 page 1 of 5 Tireless touter For months now, he has been tirelessly touting the concept throughout California at rallies, bull sessions with newspaper edi- torial boards and news conferene- es like one he attended Friday in San E7ancisco. So what makes him so concerned about ]dds? The eldest child of comic legend Carl Reiner and singer Fa7elle Rei- ner says it partly comes from hav- ing several young children of his own. But it wasn't until he began reading about what happens to youngsters who grow up without proper health care or intellectual stimulation, he adds, that he be- came convinced his initiative was essential If he ran get it passed in Califor- nia, he vows to push similar mea- surrs in other states. 'Tm interest- ed in lump-stzrting this for the rest of the country,"Reiner says. He may be just the person to do that- Reiner, who founded Castle Rock Entertaimnent, has a name familiar to millions and a wide cir- rde of h'iends that includes Bill and Hillary Ctinton And he isn't afiaid to cash in on those contacts. Be- sides the $1.1 million of his own that he says he has pumped into the initiative, Steven Spielberg chipped in $100,000; Robin Wil- hams. $25,000; and Michael Doug- las. $5,000. As of the state's most recent 5- TCAL0476878

San Jose Mercury News Powerful backers, detractors nance reporting period, which end- ed June 30, Reiner had raised near- ly $1.9 million. Even so, the cam- paign needs a lot mone. He estimates it will require $4 million to $5 million just for advertising. And he predicts the opposition's media bill will be even costlier - perhaps as much as $20 millioa Tobacco officials, who began running and-Proposition 10 ads last week won't say how much they plan to invest But Ron Gray, a spokesman for the opposition, put it this way~ "I anticipate that the no campaign will spend whatever it takes." No wonder. Including CalSor- nia's tobacco tax of 37 cents per 20 cigarettes and the 24 cents levied by the federal government, the average pack costs $2.55 in Calitor- nia, according to an analysis by the state Senate's Office of Research. Under Proposition 10, it said, that price would jrunp 20 percent - to $3.05 - beginning Jan. 1. For a one-pack-a-day smoker, that's $182.60 a year. A similar tax increase on cigar , chewing tobacco, pipe tobacco and snuff would startJuly 1. If a simple majority of voters ap- proves the measure, the state's to- bacco-related revenues could reach $750 million a year, although they would drop substantially in later years, analysts believe. That's because many smokers - espe- cially young people - probabty would find the habit so expensive they'd quit. Ultimately, the Senate study predicts, the added taxes might trim the ranks of teenage smokers by as much as l3 percent. The money reised would be fun- neled into a wide range of early childhood development programs - everytlting from child care and parental trnining to children's health services and efforts to dis- courage pregnant women from us- ing tobacco, alcohol or drugs. For the most par[, the uutiative doesn't specify which progtams would be fuumced. Those deci- sions would be made by 59 new corrunissions. A statewide commis- son made up of seven voting mem- bers selected by the governor, speaker of the Assembly and Sen- az.e Rules Committee would over- see 20 percent of the revenue. The other 80 percent would be allocat- ed by 58 county commissions, each appointed by county supetvulors. How much counties would get depends on how many children are born there each year. Since Santa Clara County accounts for about 5 percent of all births statewide, it presumably would get about $37.5 million a year. Whatever the amount, Reiner says, "it's a Qemen- dous windtaII" locally. Money desperately needed That money is vitally needed, he and other supporters argue. Stud- ies show that a child's future health and success targely hinges on the care they receive during their first three years. Yet many children, they say, aren't bemg helped. Leslie Carter, assistant director of San Jose State University's Fran- ces Guilland Child Development Center, says publicly 8nznced child cam fs particularly in short supply. Although her facility is partly subsidized by the govern- October 4, 1998 page 2 of 5 ment, it can handle only 58 chil- dren and often has to tum away youngsters. Carter, who helped gather Prop- osition 10 signatures, said some school-age parents have had to put off their educations "because of not having that child care avail- able." Other supporters include the Califonua Division of the Amencan Cancer Society, the California Medical Association and the Cali- fornia Teacher's .SssocSation A number of liberal luntinaaes also are behind the measure, sich as Ii.S. Ser. Barbara Boxer and San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown So are some well-known conserva- tives, among them funner Rep. N[i- chael Huffington, a Republiran. "Not enough money is being spent on young k1d.s when their brain5 are growing,," says Huffmg- ton, who especially.likes Proposi- tion 10's plan to have local com- missions divvy up the tobacco rev- enue "I think this is a great way of depoliflcizing where the money go~.- Otlters are far less enthusiastic -particularly tobacco funu which have cont.ributed the bulk of the nearly $700,000 raised as of Jane 30 to counter the measure. But op position to Proposition 10 also comes from others, including the California Chamber of Commerce, some retail liquor associations and 29 Republican state lawmakers. Among other things, they con- TCAL0476879

San Jose Mercnry News October 4, :998 page3of5 tend it would cmafe a va.st, unac- countable bureauaacy, which would duplicate other agencies that already oversee early ddld- hood services. They also dislike its lack of specifi6.about which pra grams would be financed, fezr it would drive tobacco merchants out of business and complain that its revenue would be esempt from a state constitutional rule that grves public schools a portion of any new taxes. Crime increase predicted Moreover, a study for the Com- mittee Against Unfair Taxes - a gtoup sponsored by tobacco firms and [he California Distributors As socizdon - claims it would in- esease crime. "Bootleg cigarettes cost the state up to $125 million in lost taxes annually," the study says. "Tttis illegal activity would io- Qease" since'perrarton sales and excis, taxes would be $5.20 lower in Nevada; $3.90 less in Oregon and $?.901ower in Arizona" Another fear is that the poor - who make up a disproportionate share of smokers - would bear the brunt of the new taxes Dee Cu- ney, who runs a child care facility in her Napa home and is an advo- care for others in the business, also worries about the initiative's plan to boost government-paid child care. Because that would create new competiuon for family day czze providers, who typically don't quai- ify for such public subsidies, Cuney says, "it will be devastating." Criticism of measure It all adds up to a flawed initla- tive, argues Jane Arms¢nng of the Alliance of California Taxpayers and Involved Voters in Santa Cruz "I am opposed to smoking," said rtrmstrong. But Proposition 10, she says, "Ls a dear example of how easy it is for a good idea to get messed up." Reiner isn't deterred by such criticism. Asked to respond, his body lurches forward in his chair and he bellows witti indignation. He characterizes the arguments against Proposition 10 as little more than a smoke screen by to- bacco firms interested only in pre- serving their profits. Reiner concedes rhere may be some things in the measure that people can legitimately quibble about But overall, "there is a corn- mon good here." he usists. "rhz is an opportunity to not only reduce smolong, but to invest in young ctidren ... W e have to do ic" TCAL0476880

San Jose Mercury News October 4,1998 page 4 of 5 TCAL0476881

ON THE BALLOT An analysls of 1998 bballot inihabves by Ine DemocracyF Center and IAe Calilnrnia Voter nundatinn Proposition 10 (TOBACCO TAX) ' Imposes an addiqonal 50-cent-per-padc-tax on Whatitdoee: 1 1 ogarettestofnanceealyrhildhooddevelopment and smoking prevention programs. Supporters: "+ Calfo nia &chool eoaras Associatroo ~ Top YES Conttlbutors: ' Stephen L. Sing, Ran Burke . William Campbell (past president, Califomia Opponents: ~ - -'v Manufacturers AssociaoonL Alliance of, . Calitomia Tarpayerg &.Invplved Vofers-. v:--: ;=Canmbutors. `~"~ ,rP~lllp Moms. Brpw~f $'~Mlfiij~ 7pttacco Corp. ; San Jose Mercury News October 4, 1998 page 5 of 5 TOPPMOIDGFMPNBYIF.NVaUGNN.~ .AeoVE.BYLGFFANr]5-YERCNHYnEMS Stucent teacher Felicia Collado, top, reads to Paige Santana, stand- ing, Demetrius Williams and Brian Casca at San Jose State Universi- ty's Frances Guilland Child Developmenl Center. The center could benefit from Ihe Proposition 10 tax. Above, Patty Siegel hugs Rob Reiner after a news conference on child care in San Francisco. TCAL0476882