Officials Concerned About Pitfalls Over Tobacco Payments

Source from:  July 25, 2007 COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) 07/25/2007

Ohio officials say urgency is a key in the state's plan to sell future payments from the landmark lawsuit settlement with tobacco companies at their maximum value. Officials handling the $5 billion sale say that's because of uncertainty over a cigarette tax increase pending in Congress, the legal landscape and other factors. The Buckeye Tobacco Settlement Financing Authority held its third meeting Tuesday, less than two months after the Legislature authorized Governor Strickland's plan to make the deal. The authority plans to begin selling off the promise of future payments by late October. Enditem