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Thursday, September 2, 2010
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Obama Tax Commission Report:
Baby Step Toward IRS Tax Preparation - Dina Titus Launches False Attack Ad on Joe Heck and the Taxpayer Protection Pledge
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Wednesday, September 1, 2010
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Tuesday, August 31, 2010
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Monday, August 30, 2010
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Friday, August 27, 2010
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- Daily Media Spotlight August 26, 2010
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- Unions plan on spending big this election cycle
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Thursday, August 26, 2010
- Daily Media Spotlight August 25, 2010
- WI Democrats Launch “Blatantly False” Attack on Sean Duffy
- Unions plan on spending big this election cycle (AWF Site »)
- Philly's New Blog Tax May Foreshadow Other eTaxes
- BNA: For 14 States, Existing Tax Code Leaves Room for Etax (Stop eTaxes Site »)
- Philly's $300 Blogger Tax (Stop eTaxes Site »)
- Cost of Government Day Arrives in the Commonwealth
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Wednesday, August 25, 2010
- California Budget Proposal Advocates eTax (Stop eTaxes Site »)
- Daily Media Spotlight August 24, 2010
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
- Daily Media Spotlight August 23, 2010
- Government Workers' Pensions are Underfunded by $3 Trillion
Monday, August 23, 2010
- Fourteen Ways to Reduce Government Spending
- FCC Report on Broadband Performance: A Scare Tactic
- Sen. Al Franken Doesn’t Understand Wireless Networks...or the First Amendment
Friday, August 20, 2010
- Daily Media Spotlight August 19, 2010
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Tobacco Taxes: How Many Times Do We Have To Say "I Told You So"?
From Kelly William Cobb on Thursday, March 26, 2009 11:19 AM
Last month, Arkansas was the latest state to pass a tax hike on cigarettes. The new $1.15 per pack tax was passed on the heels of President Obama's federal cigarette tax increase and raised the tax significantly higher than neighboring states, which collectively average 63-cents.
Throughout the battle, Americans for Tax Reform and numerous other opponents argued that this tax will never raise the $86 million the state was projecting (here, here, and here). As It turns out, we were right.
Yesterday, the state's Finance and Administration Director Richard Weiss informed lawmakers that the state will take in $14 million less than projected from the tobacco tax increase - just one month after it passed. This probably came as a surprise to Governor Mike Beebe (D), who said in his State of the State address that “tobacco taxes are a dwindling revenue stream," but quickly forgot when he began touring the state advocating for the supposed $86 million in new taxes.
Raising cigarette taxes is not only unfair for smokers and small businesses; it's flat out bad public policy. Revenue from tobacco taxes is exceptionally volatile. Smokers, behaving rationally, frequently cross state lines to find cigarettes at cheaper rates. Additionally, tobacco taxes are a declining revenue source that prompts future tax hikes once lawmakers become reliant on the statically budgeted revenue stream.
Permalink | Email | Print | Tags: TAXES, TOBACCO, TOLDYOUSO, Arkansas, Maryland, NewJersey














Comments
A little noted feature of the Porkulus bill is the tobacco tax that is supposed to fund SCHIP. Tobacco taxes have been raised, at the federal level, to confiscatory levels (over $23.00 per pound in additional taxes for cigarette tobacco, for example). These raises go into effect April 1- and that is no joke, unfortunately. I am befuddled that there has been no discussion anywhere on this federal tax boondoggle.
>> Moosemeat Thursday, March 26, 2009 1:07 PM Report Comment
Why is it legal to tax a group of smokers, but not legal to tax a group of AIG employees on their bonuses?
>> Gene Thursday, March 26, 2009 4:48 PM Report Comment
Because a cigarette tax is applied to a broad group of people (about 50 million) whereas the AIG applies to 240 people. At least the poor will pay some taxes since they smoke more cigarettes than the wealthy. I guess Obama doesn't consider tobacco taxes a tax as he said on the top 5% will pay more tax. He lied, go figure.
>> Steve Friday, March 27, 2009 2:14 AM Report Comment
Now it's your cigarette's, next it will be your beer, then when they finish with that, hello gas here we come. You ask for it, here it comes. That's what they think about the middle class and the poor.
>> Darold Friday, March 27, 2009 9:29 AM Report Comment
As smokers we are left with only 3 choices that I can think of. -Pay the tax and move on -Quit smoking -or get these www.invisismoke.com I am sure that the Government wants us to choose the first option as they are more worried about our money than our health!
>> Robert Friday, March 27, 2009 9:55 AM Report Comment
Gene, What a stupid question. The tax the DemocRats want to put on AIG is UnConstitutional.
>> Rick Friday, March 27, 2009 12:59 PM Report Comment
why is it only the smokers pay It's EVERYONES tax money they are spending to bailout greedy companies. Lets cut some of those career politican's income, limit their terms and get the foggy heads out of there. TAX FAIRLY ACROSS THE BOARD TO ALL! I'm so fed up with this _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _! They don't have a clue what it is like in REAL America, they have their pension funds and insurance for the rest of their lives. What do they care!
>> chris Wednesday, April 1, 2009 1:14 PM Report Comment
It's time for people start a cartel to grow tobacco because taxes are becoming prohibitive. You'll have to shoot bad debtors, snitches, and cops to protect yourself. Or, maybe you can just pay off the cops, and shoot everyone else.
>> American Conservative Wednesday, April 1, 2009 4:16 PM Report Comment
Taxes on tobacco should NOT go to a State's General Fund. Instead, they should be used for 1) legitimate and effective prevention programs targeted at youth and 2)treatment of those suffering from tobacco-relate illesses. For a State to consider tobacco taxes as a revenue stream is outrageous. Same logic should apply to taxes on alcohol!
>> John Wednesday, September 30, 2009 6:37 PM Report Comment