In an AP article today:
Two businessmen are petitioning to let Mississippi voters decide whether to increase the state tobacco tax and designate the revenue for Medicaid.
Clarksdale attorney and restaurateur Bill Luckett and Jackson advertising consultant Rory Reardon filed an initiative Thursday in the secretary of state’s office. They have a year to gather about 90,000 signatures to put the issue on the ballot.
And, somewhat surprising, Barbour is not completely opposed to the idea of raising the tobacco tax. Don't get too excited, though. His proposal is so low, the whole thing will inevitably get bogged down, and the King of Tobacco could still come out looking good to his tobacco buddies after all.
Gov. Haley Barbour said this week that he’ll ask the 2009 Legislature to increase the cigarette excise tax, which is now 18 cents a pack. Barbour proposes adding 24 cents a pack on premium brands and 43 cents on off-brands.
I guess off-brand folks don't hire big-time DC lobbyists.
If we do have a ballot measure, which would be preferrable over whatever plan Barbour devises for his buddies, it will be interesting to see what numbers the legislature comes up with, and how much money will be poured into the state on such a measure.
I think the split tax is interesting. Only the big tobacco companies (ie Barbour's buddies) had to pay into the tobacco settlement. So this must be his way of making the other companies pay - another favor for his buddies. If this passes, off brands and premium brands will be the same price. Guess what will happen to off brands when they lose their price advantage? Isn't this illegal?
ReplyDeleteWhy do the people of MS let this guy get away with such blatant favors for his lobbying clients? I think this is outrageous, but I haven't heard any protests.
Why haven't you heard any protests?
ReplyDeleteSmokers are social outcasts, you didn't get the memo?
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ReplyDeleteThere should be no significant tobacco taxes, but Mississippi's is nothing compared to NY's, where it can cost $10 a pack.
It's all so hopenchangey.
The governments imposing these tobacco SIN taxes are actually committing racist acts since most smokers are lower income, and many of them are minorities. Obama committed a racist act with this tax increase. Completely regressive. Why don't they tax cigs $1,000 a carton?
They don't want all people to quit, just enough to toot their horns to justify their tyranny. They will still be able to rely on all those taxes continually coming in from the hardcore addicts, which at the increasingly obscene rates will easily make up the taxes lost from the small percentage of quitters.
Politicians don't want people to stop smoking. If they did they would tax them $100 per pack. But this would just increase the black market even more, and the state would get no money.
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absurd thought -
God of the Universe says
raise taxes on the poor
tax cigs 200 percent
hurt poor smokers the most
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absurd thought -
God of the Universe says
create racist outcomes
raise some taxes on the poor
hurt minorities the most
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