California’s tobacco tax

A few weeks after conceding defeat in the June 5 major supporters of the initiative of raising taxes on tobacco to fund cancer research have asked for a recount of votes in some areas of Los Angeles.

Proposition 29 lost 50.3 percent to 49.7 percent – a margin of just 29,565 votes out of more than 5 million cast state – according to unofficial results posted by the office secretary of state. Supporters of the measures found June 22, stating that the gap is too large to overcome as the final ballots were counted.

But to tell it was suggested in some parts of Los Angeles County on Monday deadline for such a request, Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk Dean Logan confirmed on Thursday. Logan says the 191 sites were selected for counting of votes of supporters.

The request was filed by John Maa, in accordance with the Secretary of State office. A doctor by that name, who is a member of the American Heart Association Western States Affiliate, has been featured in press releases and advertisements yes 29. Attorney filter, Bradley W. Hertz in the San Francisco law firm of Sutton, was not immediately available for comment.

Formally, the proposal 29 campaign denied any involvement in the recount. Official Representative Tim Douglass wrote in an email that “no one with any official connection to the campaign with such a request.”

Logan says his department will begin the process of telling the following Monday, the counting of ballots electronically before hand the number of mid-week. He said he expects the recount, which may take more than a week, will cost about $ 5,700 a day. The campaign asked to tell what has to cover the amount of daily deposits, although the taxpayers pick up the tab if the process of changing the election results.

Selected areas were about 48,000 of about 900,000 votes cast for and against the measure in the country. The campaign can add more sites, or pull the plug on the process at any time, Logan said.

Proposition 29 would increase the cigarette tax by $ 1 a pack to pay for cancer research and smoking cessation programs. It was organized by the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association and American Lung Association.

The opposition campaign running on tens of millions of dollars from tobacco companies argue that the income can be put to better use and control panel is created; this measure lacks accountability and creates more bureaucracy.