SQUISHES
IN THE LEGISLATURE?
TOBACCO TAXES THREATEN ANTI-TAX PLEDGE
WASHINGTON - Americans
for Tax Reform (ATR) strongly opposes efforts by Governor Mark Schweiker
to increase tobacco taxes as part of his budget recommendation.
The Governor's budget includes
a 69% increase to the per-pack cigarette tax and a 40% tax on all
other tobacco products. The increases will cause per-pack taxes to
leap from $0.30 to $1.00, and the per-can tax total for smokeless
tobacco to reach $1.03.
Increasing taxes on specified
products like cigarettes and smokeless tobacco poses a proportionally
greater burden for lower-income taxpayers. Regressive taxes like these
do not constitute a permanent solution to budget problems because
they do not address the real problem that states like Pennsylvania
face: state spending.
"A $1.2 billion shortfall
is no reason to raise taxes," commented Grover Norquist, President
of ATR. "In fact, the opposite is true: a budget deficit is every
reason to cut taxes and cut spending.
"I strongly encourage all Taxpayer Protection Pledge signers
in Pennsylvania to oppose these tax increases on tobacco products.
To do otherwise would violate their promise to taxpayers that they
will oppose and vote against any and all efforts to increase taxes,"
concluded Mr. Norquist.
1. Joe Conti (S-10)
2. Lisa Boscola (S-18)
3. Jacob Doyle Corman, III (S-34)
4. Jane Orie (S-40)
5. Daryl Metcalfe (H-12)
6. Jeffrey Habay (H-30)
7. Thomas Stevenson (H-42)
8. Fred Trello (H-45)
9. Lawrence Roberts (H-51)
10. James E. Shaner (H-52)
11. Joseph A. Petrarca (H-55)
12. James E. Casorio, Jr. (H-56)
13. Jess Stairs (H-59)
14. Jeff Coleman (H-60)
15. Jim Lynch (H-65)
16. Bob Bastian (H-69)
17. Tom Yewcic (H-72)
18. Camille George (H-74)
19. Jere Strittmatter (H-97)
20. Tom Armstrong (H-98)
21. Samuel Rohrer (H-128)
22. Dennis Leh (H-130)
23. Richard Grucela (H-137)
24. Matthew Wright (H-142)
25. Katherine McDowell Watson (H-144)
26. Stephen Barrar (H-160)
27. Kerry Benninghoff (H-171)
28. Roy Reinard (H-178)
29. Kelly Lewis (H-189)
Americans for Tax Reform is a non-partisan
coalition of taxpayers and taxpayer groups who oppose all federal
and state tax increases. For
more information or to arrange an interview with Mr. Norquist please contact Christopher Butler at (202)785-0266 or by email at
cbutler@atr.org.
