NO CONFUSION: TOBACCO MONEY BELONGS TO US

There are so many proposals floating around in Jefferson City on how to use the billions of dollars anticipated from the state's settlement with tobacco companies that it's hard to keep track of all of them.

All those ideas are doing is creating a fog of confusion while politicians attempt to get their cut of the money.

In fact, there is no need for any confusion. The money belongs to taxpayers, and the quicker the politicians recognize that and stop trying to convince us it's not ours, the better.

But politicians rely on the likelihood that taxpayers have short memories. By filing bills and suggesting changes in the Missouri Constitution, the politicians hope taxpayers will start to believe that there are decisions to be made about the tobacco money when, in fact, there is nothing to discuss.

Taxpayers whose minds aren't addled by forgetfulness or senility will recall that states sued the tobacco companies on a simple premise. The states argued that there had been considerable expense to state programs due to tobacco-related illnesses.

So the states sued to get reimbursed for those expenses.

The tobacco companies, under immense nationwide pressure, caved in to the states' demands and agreed to start writing huge reimbursement checks..

For purposes of clarification, now that this has become such a cloudy issue, let's take a little side trip.

Let's pretend you are involved in an auto accident that is not your fault. And let's say that, as a result of this accident, you lose both your legs and suffer from lifelong problems that require expensive medical treatment.

So you sue somebody: the other driver, the auto manufacturer, whoever you believe to be responsible for the accident and your tragic injuries.

Just before the trial is to start, whoever you sued makes you an offer to pay a lot of money to reimburse you for your injuries and your huge medical expenses.

You accept the deal.

Whose money is that? Well, aside from the fact that under our legal system your lawyer will take a huge chunk for handling the case, the money is yours. You will put it in your bank account to replace the money you spent on medical care.

No one would think of trying to convince you that the money you receive out of the settlement ought to go into a fund to help pay for the medical expenses of uninsured motorists who suffer injuries and can't afford medical treatment.

No one would think of suggesting that there would be fewer highway accidents causing serious injuries if you -- and anyone else who gets a big settlement -- would contribute the money to the state to build more highways.

Everyone would laugh at the notion that, after legal expenses, the settlement money isn't yours.

But that's exactly what's happening right now in Jefferson City.

Look. Tobacco-related problems are expensive to treat. Through various state programs, treatment was provided. The state sued the tobacco companies for reimbursement. Now the tobacco companies are paying up.

But who paid for those expensive medical treatments? The state didn't pay for them. The state simply created the mechanism that made the treatment possible. The money to pay for the treatments came from taxpayers. And since it was their money, they are entitled to reimbursement.

This is not confusing. Only the politicians in Jefferson City think it can be muddied up so much that taxpayers will forget whose money it is.

If the politicians are successful and wind up spending your money for new and expanded state programs, you will, in effect, be participating in a huge tax increase. Almost a $7 billion tax increase. Which is exactly what the tobacco companies are likely to reimburse Missouri taxpayers.