Cigarette Tax Increase Will Force Layoffs, Close Stores and Increase Crime

BUSINESS WIRE ^ | April 06, 2004 | Michigan Business Alliance for Fair Taxes

[Willie Green]

For education and discussion only. Not for commercial use.

MBAFT News Conference Wednesday April 7 in Clio, Michigan

WHAT: News conference to reveal how small businesses will suffer and illegal trafficking and crime grow from 75 cents a pack cigarette tax hike.

Proposal to raise taxes by 60% on cigarettes has negative consequences for businesses throughout Genesee and Saginaw counties.

WHEN: 10:30am, Wednesday April 7, 2004

WHERE:

 Shell Food Mart
           4141 W. Vienna Rd.
           Clio, Michigan 48420
           810-686-5691

WHO:

 Tricia Kinley / Mich. Chamber of Commerce
         Eric Rule / Mich. Retailers Association
         Robert Coughlin / Eby - Brown Company
         Larry Hauck / 7-Eleven, Inc.

For more information on the Alliance www.saynotounfairtaxes.com or call 1-888-221-2322

For Michigan Business Alliance for Fair Taxes
Alan Upchurch, 248-855-6777
248-797-4325 mobile

[international american]

Turning smokers into criminals ping!

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[Gabz]

Thanks IA for the Ping!!!!

CSM - you have any more info on this?????

[Conspiracy Guy]

It is getting ridiculous.

[annyokie]

puff ping!

[RetiredArmy]

You know, I don't smoke. I have never smoked. Don't like smoking. Smoking killed my father, four of his brothers, a sister, and five of my mother's brothers and sisters and caused my sister to have a smoking related heart attack. So, I don't like smoking.

However, I think it is funny that the government spends all this time and money on don't smoke, stop smoking, whatever, and then turns around and taxes smoking to the hilt because it is such a great revenue for taxes! They tax, tax, tax smoking because it draws millions in taxes for cities, counties, states and national government. IF, and I say IF everyone were to stop smoking, JUST WHAT THE HECK WOULD THE GOVERNMENT DO BECAUSE OF THE LOSS OF ALL THOSE MILLIONS IN TAXES???? The governments don't want people to stop smoking. That is all lip service. They want people to smoke so they can continue to drain those tax dollars! Just like gasoline. If we stopped driving, all those billions in gas taxes would be lost. Nope, they want you to drive.

[international american]

I won't pay 5.00 a pack. I buy from an indian reservation online for 2.40 a pack.

[Conspiracy Guy]

I shoplift mine at the liquor store and they just report it as lost inventory.

[international american]

Rotf......you have a better price then:)

[Conspiracy Guy]

I am a small time networker but I'm good at it. If I ever get ambitious, look out world.

[sergeantdave]

The morons in Detroit and Lansing who voted for this Canadian Marxist clown are getting exactly what they deserve - socialism, more socialism and attempted theft.

Wait till it's time to pay off the crooks in the big cities for electing her. I guarantee Jenny will be sniffing around the suburbs and countryside looking for ways to rip off everyone with higher taxes and user fees.

Choke on it, Detroit losers.

[Mears]

I stopped buying cigs from local retailers about 5 years ago when Mass. taxes became too high.

Before I was on the internet I used a toll-free number so cheap cigs are available to everyone.

These idiot politicians use the loss of smokers like me as proof that high taxes lowers the number of smokers.

[yankeedame]

...I think it is funny that the government spends all this time and money on don't smoke, stop smoking, whatever, and then turns around and taxes smoking to the hilt because it is such a great revenue for taxes! They tax, tax, tax smoking because it draws millions in taxes for cities, counties, states and national government. IF, and I say IF everyone were to stop smoking, JUST WHAT THE HECK WOULD THE GOVERNMENT DO BECAUSE OF THE LOSS OF ALL THOSE MILLIONS IN TAXES????

You know, many moons ago (the early 1980's IIRC) Sweden went through this same thing. They kept jacking up the tax on cigarettes till it came to the point that bootlegged smokes outsold the legit one. The government was losing its shirt. The moral of the story is: the Swedish government ended up having to make huge tax cuts on a tobacco products, so they would compete with & under cut the bootleggers.

So, yes, you are so right. Tobacco is a real cash cow when it comes to government revenue.

[wingnutx]

Creeping prohibition, fun.

[WhiteyAppleseed]

check your mail when you find the time.

[CSM]

I didn't know anything about this meeting and regretfully I have to work and won't be able to attend. What I do know is it is in response to Jenny from the Bloc's plan to raise cig taxes.

A previous poster correctly pointed out that the socialist Detroiters are reaping what they sowed. The sad part is that most of those same people blame the woes of our state on the President, not on our governor.

[Gabz]

If you hear anything more about the meeting, drop me a note, ok??? thanks

[Just another Joe]

Telling us what we already know.

Past a certain point it becomes diminishing returns. Not only because of people stopping, that's the least of it. It pushes people, the majority, to the internet and to bootleggers to avoid the onerous taxes.

In addition to that when the bootleggers come in organized crime is not far behind, especially with the low amount of time given anyone caught smuggling cigs.

Tax 'em and weep governments.

[Dan from Michigan]

Time to call my reps again.