To Fund the Expansion of Health Insurance Coverage of Children

To fund the expansion of health insurance coverage of children, Governor Kulongoski proposed an 84.5 cents per package increase in the state's cigarette tax. What was the result?

A) The tobacco industry spent $11.4 million to defeat the measure on the basis that it was unfair to smokers and poorer people and an attack on freedom of choice.
B) Democrats held a three-fifths supermajority in the legislature and enacted the tax increase.
C) The measure was referred to the voters and passed with the support of nearly 90 health, business, union, education, and children's advocacy groups.
D) The measure was revised to be a 1% health insurance assessment on the state's 26 largest hospitals and eight largest health insurance companies, which failed to pass because of the opposition of the hospitals and insurers.