The Deschutes County Commission agreed Wednesday to write the Legislature in support of House Bill 2870 — a measure that, if passed, would allow counties to tax tobacco purchases.

Commissioners Alan Unger and Tony DeBone both agreed writing a letter in support of the bill is a good idea, although both said they don’t expect to levy a local tobacco tax on county residents.

“This sounds like a way to help counties in financial distress find more funds,” Unger said. “The letter would be to show we support a state bill to allow other counties to do that.”

Executive Director Mike McArthur of the Association of Oregon Counties asked the County Commission for its support of the bill.

“It allows, but doesn’t obligate, counties to levy a tobacco tax,” Anderson said.

The bill, if passed, would allocate 20 percent of any tax collected to the county health department, according to Anderson.

Commissioner Tammy Baney, who was not at the Wednesday business meeting, expressed her support for the bill in an email, Anderson said.