County Receives $23,102 as Share of Tobacco Funds

Source from:  brenhambanner.com Saturday, April 19, 2008 04/21/2008

Washington County has received its share of the Tobacco Settlement Permanent Trust Account distribution this year. The county's payment was $23,102, on par with last year's check of $23,128, according to the Texas Comptroller's office. Comptroller Susan Combs has distributed $92.3 million to Texas communities from the account. The money will help two cities, 159 counties and 135 hospital districts recover their costs for indigent health care provided during 2007. Washington County's check, however, represents only a small portion of the amount it spent last year for indigent health care. That totaled $518,712, mostly for county jail inmate health expenses. "This year the state is sending 12 percent more money to communities responsible for providing indigent care," Combs said. "This money comes from Texas' settlement with tobacco companies and will help communities offset the costs of providing medical care for those who cannot pay." The Tobacco Settlement Permanent Trust Account, established after the state settled a lawsuit against tobacco companies, as of Dec. 31, 2007, had a balance of $2.4 billion. The comptroller manages and oversees the fund, with the guidance of the 11-member Tobacco Settlement Permanent Trust Account Investment Advisory Committee. This year's distribution to local entities increased by about $9.6 million over last year's distribution. Since the first distribution of funds in April 2001, local entities have received almost $430 million from the trust fund. Cities, counties and hospital districts receive annual distributions of tobacco settlement money based upon the amount of unreimbursed indigent health care they report to the Texas Department of State Health Services. In 2006, Washington County had unreimbursed health care expenses of $530,404. Its tobacco settlement payments in prior years, followed by unreimbursed health care expenses, were: 2005 - $31,004, $719,002. 2004 - $17,106, $601,961. 2003 - $9,299, $517,608. Enditem