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No on County Measure A

As much as we support children's health, we cannot support Measure A, which would authorize the county to collect a $39 parcel tax for 10 years to help pay for the Healthy Kids Program.

This program was started in 2001 to buy health insurance for the 12 percent of the county's children who were not covered and was mostly funded by private foundations and other sources. Now that funding is running out, this effort is being made to keep it alive.

In our view, the Healthy Kids Program is an ongoing expense that should be paid for out of general fund revenues, not a special parcel tax. We urge a no vote on county Measure A.