Prop 86 Amends Constitution to Entitle Illegal Aliens to Subsidized Healthcare
Art Olivier, the Libertarian candidate for Governor, is warning California taxpayers that Proposition 86 will force them to pay for the healthcare of children that are in California in violation of federal immigration laws.
Bellflower, CA (PRWEB) September 18, 2006
Proposition 86 will amend the California Constitution to expand the California Healthy Families Program to include undocumented immigrant children under 19 years of age who are from families with incomes up to 300 percent of the federal poverty level. Currently, children in Healthy Families must meet citizenship or immigration requirements to receive health, dental and vision coverage. The proponents claim that this expansion will be paid by a $2.60 tax increase in a pack of cigarettes.
Art Olivier, the Libertarian candidate for governor, warns that increased benefits to illegal aliens will encourage more illegal immigration. “Amending the Constitution to attract more illegal aliens will burden the state with increasingly higher costs every year,” said Olivier.
Olivier doubts that the cigarette tax will be able to pay for the new entitlements. Citing the 32.3% reduction in legitimate cigarette sales in New Mexico after they raised cigarette taxes by 70¢ a pack in 2003, Olivier believes that retail sales of cigarettes in California could plummet by 50%. Olivier, the former mayor of Bellflower says, “Many smokers will switch to out-of-state outlets, Indian reservations, military commissaries, the internet or the black market to purchase their tobacco products at a much lower price.” A 50% reduction in the retail sales of tobacco will result in a $500 million annual shortfall in revenue that is currently earmarked for breast cancer research, health education, hospital and physician services, public resources, and county-run projects for child health and development.
The proponents of Proposition 86 claim that raising tobacco taxes will help emergency rooms to stay open. Olivier says he understands that something must be done to reverse the current trend in emergency rooms closures but he does not believe that higher taxes are the solution. Olivier suggests “Too many people, many of them here illegally, are using emergency rooms as their primary care facility. Hospital administrators should be able to inform local law enforcement of non-paying patients that are using the emergency room for non-emergencies if they suspect that person of being here illegally. After the patient has been treated, and if the police believe that the patient is an illegal alien, the patient should be turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.”
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