US News

GATES GIVES $125M TO BLOOMIE’S GLOBAL ANTI-SMOKING CAMPAIGN

Mayor Bloomberg today enlisted Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates — one of the few individuals in the U.S. wealthier than he is — to bolster a campaign the mayor launched two years ago to combat smoking around the world.

Gates said he’d contribute $125 million over five years to the global effort and Bloomberg chipped in $250 million on the top of the $125 million he contributed in 2006.

“I’m sure it’s just the first of many things we can do together,” said Gates at a midtown Manhattan press conference.

He declined to elaborate, saying “There’s nothing concrete at this point.”

Bloomberg and Gates are worth a combined $70 billion and both lead foundations that are among the largest in the nation.

Gates said he and the mayor got together because they are focused on improving the health of the world’s most impoverished reisdents.

“When Michael and I looked at the causes in the world we have a somewhat similar world view,” said Gates.