Council approves accepting opioid settlement funds

By Terry Murry on Wednesday, December 15th, 2021 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories

HERMISTON – The Hermiston City Council has approved being named a party to benefit from opioids litigation against the three largest opioid pharmaceutical distributors. The companies have 18 years to pay about $20 billion dollars to the states that brought the suits. The state in turn will distribute some of those funds to cities and counties to help fight opioid addiction.

Hermiston Assistant City Manager Mark Morgan said the city should receive $200,000 to $300,000 altogether, but it won’t happen quickly since there’s 18 years to pay. Morgan said the city might be able to make a bigger impact against opioid addiction if it combined its funds to those coming to Umatilla County and the city of Pendleton.

“There was some general discussion from the council Monday night that after we sign on it may make some sense to work with the county and the city of Pendleton to pool some of those resources,” Morgan said.

Oregon’s total payout is estimated at $330 million. Of that, 45 percent will stay with the state while 55 per cent will go to local governments.