City Utilizes Cigarette Tax for Healthy Choices

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Using money received from the State tax on cigarettes, the City of Washington is trying to help residents become healthier.

The Washington times Herald reports today that Parks and Recreation employees are installing exercise stations at Longfellow Park.  This use of the cigarette tax was the idea of Mayor Joe Wellman who is quoted in the story saying,” At my recommendation the city council last year approved spending this money on an active-living type project for the citizens.”  

Of the $28,000 received by the city last year almost all of it was spent on the improvement project.  

Parks superintendent Kip Kelly told the paper, “this was part of a five year plan for the parks.”  He went on to say, “Weather permitting the equipment should all be in place by the end of next week.”

According to the Times Herald story,  the amount of money generated from the cigarette tax has been declining annually but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.  It just means fewer people are lighting up or using other tobacco products.