What is BTASC?
Broome Tobacco Asset Securitization Corporation ("the Corporation") is a special purpose, bankruptcy-remote local development corporation organized under the Not-For-Profit Corporation Law of the State of New York (the "State"). The Corporation was established on June 21, 2001, however there were no substantive operations until July 15, 2001 as discussed herein. The Corporation is an instrumentality of, but separate and apart from the County of Broome, New York (the "County"). The Corporation has five directors, including the County Executive, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the Chairman of the County Legislature, the Minority Leader of the County Legislature and one independent director. Although legally separate from the County, the Corporation is a component unit of the County, and accordingly, is included in the County's financial statements as a descretely presented component unit.
On July 15, 2001, pursuant to a Purchase and Sale Agreement with the County, the County sold to the Corporation all of its future right, title and interest in the Tobacco Settlement Revenues ("TSRs") under the Master Settlement Agreement ("MSA") and the Decree and Final Judgment (the "Decree"). The MSA resolved cigarette smoking related litigation between the settling states and the Participating Manufacturers ("PMs"), released the PMs from past and present smoking-related claims, and provides for a continuing release of future smoking-related claims, in exchange for certain payments to be made to the settling states, as well as certain tobacco advertising and marketing restrictions, among other things. The Decree, which was entered by the Supreme Court of the State, allocated to the County a share of the TSRs under the MSA. The future rights, title and interest of the County's share were sold to the Corporation.
The purchase price of the County's future right, title and interest in the TSRs has been financed by the issuance of serial bonds. A Residual Certificate exists which represents the entitlement to receive all amounts required to be distributed after the payment of debt service, operating expenses and certain other costs as set forth in the indenture. Payments on the Residual Certificate from TSR collections are subordinate to payments on the bonds and payment of certain other costs specified in the indenture. Excess TSRs not required by the Corporation to pay various expenses, debt service or required reserves with respect to the bonds are transferred to the Broome County Tax Stabilization Trust (the "Trust"), as owner of the Residual Certificate. The County is the beneficial owner of the Trust and thus the funds received by the Trust will ultimately transfer to the County.
In 2005 a subordinate serial bond was issued. No payments will be made with respect to principal or interest of the series 2005 bonds until amounts currently due on the Senior Bonds (series 2001) have been paid and Senior Indenture Requirements have been satisfied.
Broome Tobacco Asset Securitization Corporation
Mission Statement
The purpose of the Broome Tobacco Asset Securitization Corporation is to independently examine, monitor and record the transactions of the Corporation. Most of these transactions are performed by a trust agent. The transactions are predominantly the receipt of tobacco settlement funds and the use of these funds to pay debt service and pay for other administrative expenses such as insurance, rating agency fees and trustee fees.