Using tobacco payments to fund Medicaid expansion start-up costs makes sense for a number of reasons. First, the money is there. Whether you agree philosophically with the settlement with Big Tobacco, it’s a done deal. The settlement was legal and the payments are being made. Second, tapping the Millennium Fund does not involve raising taxes, which could be a deal-breaker for many of our more short-sighted legislators. Finally, using Big Tobacco money to bring quality healthcare to 60,000 or more Idahoans is a wise and appropriate use of that money. Over the years, states and municipalities have used their tobacco money for everything from plugging budget shortfalls, to renovating jails, to – wait for it—helping tobacco farmers. Some entities have even issued bonds backed by tobacco payments. By comparison, using Idaho’s settlement money to get Medicaid expansion off the ground is not such a stretch.