Nov.18.....No Smoking at hospitals

[Keith]

Well, bad news for smokers...good news for me. The air will be fresher to breathe without the second hand smoke. I am glad the hospitals have adopted this new law. I am really hoping this will be the first step in helping people kick the nasty habit.

[Patrick]

Also I really hope the cigarette tax increase is approved in November. Not only will this help curb smoking, but it will help fund a much needed trauma center in this state.

[okcstylez]

And i hope it would help add more to Teachers pay which is the reason why im not in OKC right now. My dads a teacher and we left because they offered to pay him way more here in Houston. Alot of people have moved away from the state due to this problem and hopefully they put alot of emphasis to this and the Trauma Center like you said. Both are critical things needed for not only OKC but the State.

[Patrick]

Looks like the cigarette tax increase is going to fund the trauma center and the lottery/gambling bills will fund education.

Actually, Brad Henry did increase teacher's pay last year....still don't know where he found the money from as the state was in a budget crisis, but somehow he found money to not only pay the teachers but to give them a small pay increase. Things must be improving because state employees are getting a pay raise as well. Hopefully this is a sign of good times to come!

[mranderson]

Here is what we can do with the increased cigerette tax.

Help pay the medical expenses for people who get cancer due to second hand smoke. The smokers should have to pay for killing me.

[Patrick]

Although I would agree with that, I don't know how the trauma center would be funded.

What would guys think about raising the tax on alcohol to fund the trauma center. Seems like many of the people using the trauma center are hurt as a direct result of a drunk driver. Why not tax those that actually result in the increased need for a state trauma center?

[mranderson]

Here is a better idea. Use the cigerette and alcohol taxes to pay medical expenses of those people injured and/or killed as a result of these drugs. The trauma center could be funded by mandatory fines based on the offenders income.