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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 21, 1998)
y2! Wednesday ‘January 21, 1998 State Settlement encounters snag former justice files suit delaying payment of fees to tobacco attorneys loir iisor, 1 EXARKANA (AP) — While the bea;-*lj e awa ' te d a federal judge’s final Lap ipproval of its $15.3 billion settle- jnv neni with the tobacco industry, ;everal outsiders on Tuesday began xyi) ig to crash the deal. |0ns,- John Cornyn, a former Texas Supreme Court Justice running for ,v itt^rney general, filed a lawsuit in Lt state district court to block the 15- ben ent cut for five private attor- leys who had been brought in to ielp with the case. Their share : would come out to roughly $2,295 oillion, or $459 million each. ^^Kornyn argues that Texas Attor- iey General Dan Morales has vio- ated the state constitution by de eding how state money is spent, ^fcowever, Ron Dusek, a ipol esperson for Morales, said the settlement calls for the legal fees to 3e paid for by the tobacco compa- liefc and not the state. hat could change, though, be- :ause the state has filed four mo- lions asking U.S. District Judge Daiid Folsom of Texarkana to arbi- 1 :rate the lawyers’ fees. ^■Dne of the other issues Folsom Arilf decide on was Tuesday’s mo- tiom filed by Dallas County and the Dallas County Hospital District ask ing (he judge to throw out the allo cation of the $1.2 billion first-year payout. The 1998 money is ear marked for a variety of health-care services for all Texans, children’s health care, anti-smoking educa tion and enforcement. The Dallas motion calls the en tire deal “clandestinely negotiated” “The settlement benefits the public health, especially that of children.” WARD TISDALE ON THE RECENT TOBACCO SETTLEMENT and objects to it because there are no provisions made for Dallas County or its hospital district. The third issue is a complaint by state Rep. Rob Junell and state Sen. Bill Ratliff, heads of the Legisla ture’s budget-writing committees. They argue the agreement violates the Legislature’s role of setting state spending. The lawmakers already have filed a motion asking for them to be al lowed to intervene in the case. They also are to ask the Texas Supreme Court to stop the agreement. Ward Tisdale, another Morales spokesperson, said the attorney general was not concerned about various parties trying to intervene in the settlement. “The settlement benefits the public health, especially that of children,” Tisdale said. Tisdale noted that the attorney general regularly negotiates pay outs as part of settlement. Howev er, because this is the largest settle ment in U.S. litigation history, it is drawing more attention. That could change next year un der legislation that state Rep. Tom Craddick, R-Midland, said Tuesday he is preparing to file in the next leg islative session. His plan would bar state agency heads from entering into contin gency fee contracts with private at torneys without prior approval of the Texas Legislature. Morales filed the lawsuit against the tobacco companies and three trade groups in March 1996. As part of the settlement, the state ended its lawsuit against the cigarette makers and agreed to drop its cases against trade groups Hill & Knowlton Inc., the Council for To bacco Research-USA and the To bacco Institute Inc. Gramm bill proposes road funding AUSTIN (AP) —Texas highways n need of repair and expansion :ould get a boost of more than $ 1.9 Dillion in additional federal dollars jnder a proposal being touted by J.S. Sen. Phil Gramm. r The money, now benefiting 3ther federal programs, comes ix>i rom a 4.3-cent-a-gallon gasoline hti ax added in 1993. i; fcramm, R-Texas, said Tuesday he proposal he developed with U.S. Sen. Robert Byrd, D-WVa., would ipn Gramm nean roughly $30 billion for highways nationally over he next six years, including the money for Texas. He contends that because taxpayers have been told Dasoline taxes are meant to pay for roads, all gas tax rev- i\f3nue should go for that purpose — including money ^from the 4.3 cent increase. “It says right on the pump that every penny of gaso- ine taxes goes to build roads,” Gramm said. “We see it is a truth in government amendment.” fy! Opponents say that 4.3 cent-a-gallon levy was not ntended for highways. Of the total 18.5 cent-a-gallon federal gasoline tax, $ troceeds from 15.5 cents go to the Highway Trust Fund, vhile money from the remainder benefits mass transit, Take a detour to Whiskeytown, just off the Interstate, somewhere south of predictable. It’s an amazing cross-genre journey to the heart of one of the year’s best new releases. WHISKEYTOWN Strangers Almanac Featuring: 16 Days * Excuse Me While I Break My Own Heart Tonight |S< i 0 SEE THEM LIVE AT THE DIXIE THEATRE THIS THURSDAY JAHUARY 22HDI 'FREE "IN YOUR WILDEST DREAMS" B-SIDES CD WITH PURCHASE* $12.95 THRU 2/4 ECORD -STORE IN B/CS anjc? ~ri DEFENSIVE DRIVING... COMEDY STYLE USA Training Company, Inc. Speeding Ticket? Have the Last Laugh! State-approved Defensive Driving course for ticket dismissal and insurance reduction. Convenient Saturday classes taught at 4.0 & Go Tutoring in College Station Taught by professional comic Bobby Bernshausen To register, call 778-GRIN (778-4746) according to the Office of Management and Budget. The money going to the highway fund includes pro ceeds from the 4.3 cent-a-gallon tax increase under a measure approved last year. But proceeds from that in crease are not spent, allowing expenditures on other programs without violating a federal spending cap. If the money pays for highways, other discretionary spending would have to be cut, Call said. “That’s edu cation, that’s environment, that’s health programs, that’s Head Start — any programs appropriated on a yearly basis,” she said. Pete Winstead, chair of the Texas Turnpike Authority, said the additional money is needed in Texas. With the amendment, Texas anticipates $9.5 billion in federal aid. In addition to that $1.9 billion, Texas would get a share of a $450 million fund to finance international trade corridors, according to Gramm. “Fifty-three percent of our Texas highways are in poor or mediocre condition,” Winstead said. “I think it’s time for the games to stop on balancing budget, and let’s take the gasoline tax and put it in the roads where the citizens thought it was going from the very beginning.” Texas has the largest highway system in the nation, with more than 77,000 miles of roadway and 48,000 bridges, Texas Transportation Commissioner Robert Nichols said. T2&& LJniyy&rsity Ori\/& visit our web sit* http://www.howdyags.com SCIENCE WED Jan 28 THU Jan 29 CHEM 4-6 CH CH 107 PM 1,2 3 RHYS 6-8 CH CH 202 PM 24, 25A 25B CHEM 8-10 CH CH 102 PM 15A 15B RHYS 10 PM- CH CH 208 MID 23 24 BUSINESS MON Jan 26 TUE Jan 27 ACCT 230 8-11 PM FSA PRAC PROB FSA PRAC PROB ACC1 r 230 -- Come either day!! WED THU Jan 28 Jan 29 FINC 8-10 CH CH 341 PM 2 3 For the following classes check the website. CHEM 101, RHYS 201, and RHYS 218 PHI BETA LAMBDA PROFESSIONAL BUSINESS FRATERNITY RUSH SPRING 1998 Jan. 26 * Informational - 8 PM-10 PM MSC 206 Jan. 28 Bowling Social - 7 PM-9 PM MSC Basement Jan. 31 Square Dance - 5:30 PM-8 PM Still Creek Boys Ranch Don’t Walk Feb. 2 *Speaker - 7:30 PM-9 PM Wehner 118 Feb. 4 Billiard Social - 7 PM-9 PM Yesterday’s * Professional attire required THANKS, BRYAN/COLLEGE STATION PIZZA Better Ingredients. Better Piz za ' *"*». January J*"* . Customer r lr Appreciation Weefc One Largo One topping No limit. Carry-out Only. or navs applicable sales tax. Additional toppings extra. Not valid with any other offers ♦Customer p ^ vaj|ab|e at any Huntsville and Bryan/College Station area location. Better Ingredients. Better Pizza. Northgate 601 University dr. 409-846-3600 Post Oak Square Center 100 Harvey Rd., Suite D 409-764-7272 Carry-out Only. 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