Buy machine from the Net.
Bag of tobacco = $5.85
Box of filtered tubes = 200 for $1.99
and
Posted on 06/22/2004 9:40:44 AM PDT by wmichgrad
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The state Senate approved a 75-cent-per-pack cigarette tax increase Tuesday, ending weeks of negotiations that focused on how to spend the new revenue.
The Senate voted 20-15 to raise the tax on a pack of cigarettes from $1.25 to $2 beginning July 1.
"It's a reasonable, fair compromise to help continue solving this short-term budget problem as we continue to do long-term economic investment," said Republican Senate Majority Leader Ken Sikkema of Wyoming.
The measure now returns to the House, which will consider the changes made by the Senate.
Sikkema had called for spending nearly 19 cents of the 75-cent cigarette increase on job creation and life sciences funding.
Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm, who originally proposed the increase, wanted all 75 cents to go to Medicaid and smoking cessation programs.
If the higher cigarette tax takes effect on July 1, Granholm said it would bring in $97.1 million for the current fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30. It would bring in about $295 million in additional revenue in the upcoming budget year.
All new revenue generated by the higher cigarette tax would go to the state's Medicaid program in the current fiscal year and the one that begins Oct. 1, according to the Senate-approved legislation.
When the following budget year begins on Oct. 1, 2005, 75 percent of the additional revenue would be set aside for Medicaid while 25 percent would go to the state's general fund.
$2 tax per pack Ping
That's what they all say, but the money will inevitably be used to plug holes in the state budget.
Right. The current major hole is in Medicaid. Last week it was in education, but the legislature plugged that hole with with money from other state budget accounts, leaving a bigger shortfall in Medicaid.
One budget hole filled, another springs a leak
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1154445/posts
Tobacco tax hike won't cure Michigan's ailing budget
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1155163/posts
fwiw, I bought a pack last night in downtown Chicago. $6.37. LOL! That's gotta be 6 bucks in taxes! That's a meal. This is how Democrats steal food from poor people.
So! Ken thinks it's "reasonable and fair to balance the state budget on the backs of 25-30% of the people that choose to smoke? How nice!
When your too spineless to cut spending, stick it to the smokers and tell them it's for their own good!
Native American Cig Sales Triple In '04: Tribes
Lesson #1 in how to encourage a black market.
Buy machine from the Net.
Bag of tobacco = $5.85
Box of filtered tubes = 200 for $1.99
and
Republicans raising taxes? No Way!!!
Don't you just love it when Republicans justify a tax increase in the name of taking care of business?
Hey, if these shrink-the-gummint types keep raising taxes, pretty soon it's going to be hard to tell them from their cohorts-in-crime, the Damnocrats.
Here is the kicker. If Michigan is anything like Kansas they are telling us that they have to have this huge tax increase for schools. What they don't tell us is that the state is raking in unexpected money by the hand full already. Tax increase indeed.
They are just hoping that the general public (the sheeple) won't dig into it deeper to find out what is REALLY going on. They make me sick, Sunshine! :(
Hehe! Good ole Kramer! :)
Wow. I went to that StuffYourOwn.com link. It looks like that
would cut the cost by about 2/3rds. Is that about right ??
hehe! Yeah. His hair's on fire ! :^D
Well, I used to smoke More Menthols. When the tax was increase AGAIN and they went up to $45-$50 dollars a carton, I said that's it.
And I went back to the information fellow Freepers gave me about rolling my own.
I have been rolling a beautiful carton for a little under $8.00. The savings have been wonderful.
Plus the tobacco tastes better, because there are no additives added. I really like that part.
$45-50 for a carton? Wow. If I recall right, they were around $27-28 here at the local
gas station the other day. I didn't know there was a difference in price on Menthol's.
The Associated Press
6/22/2004, 1:01 p.m. ET
(AP) — The Michigan Senate voted 20-15 Tuesday to approve a bill that would increase the cigarette tax from $1.25 to $2. Fourteen Democrats and six Republicans voted for the bill. Fourteen Republicans and one Democrat voted against it. Three senators were absent and didn't vote: one Democrat and two Republicans.
From Our Advertiser
Name Prty Hometown Dist Vote
Jason Allen R Traverse City 37 N
Jim Barcia D Bay City 31 N (Only Dem to get it right)
Raymond Basham D Taylor 8 Y
Virgil Bernero D Lansing 23 Y
Patricia Birkholz R Saugatuck 24 N
Mike Bishop R Rochester 12 N
Liz Brater D Ann Arbor 18 Y
Cameron Brown R Sturgis 16 N
Nancy Cassis R Novi 15 N
Deborah Cherry D Burton 26 Y
Irma Clark-Coleman D Detroit 3 Y
Hansen Clarke D Detroit 1 Y
Alan Cropsey R DeWitt 33 N
Robert Emerson D Flint 27 Y
Valde Garcia R Howell 22 N (Thank you Valde)
Tom George R Portage 20 Y
Jud Gilbert R Algonac 25 N
Mike Goschka R Brant 32 N
Beverly Hammerstrom R Temperance 17 Y
Bill Hardiman R Kentwood 29 Y
Gilda Jacobs D Huntington Woods 14 Y
Ron Jelinek R Three Oaks 21 N
Shirley Johnson R Royal Oak 13 NV
Wayne Kuipers R Holland 30 Y
Burton Leland D Detroit 5 NV
Michelle McManus R Lake Leelanau 35 N
Dennis Olshove D Warren 9 Y
Bruce Patterson R Canton 7 N
Michael Prusi D Ishpeming 38 Y
Alan Sanborn R Richmond 11 N
Mark Schauer D Battle Creek 19 Y
Martha Scott D Highland Park 2 Y
Ken Sikkema R Wyoming 28 Y
Tony Stamas R Midland 36 N
Michael Switalski D Roseville 10 Y
Buzz Thomas D Detroit 4 Y
Laura Toy R Livonia 6 NV
Gerald Van Woerkom R Norton Shores 34 Y
Any carton of cigarettes selling for under $30 has got to be an off-price brand (Doral, Basic, etc). If you're saying that's the price for a regular brand, you've gotta tell me where. I can't think of how long its been since I've had a good ol' Camel!!!
Stock up now and start investigating other options!
Stock up now and start investigating other options!
I guess my keyboard felt that it was worth repeating.
Well, you've got me there. I don't know what the brand was, so it probably was a generic brand.I gave them up in March, 1983 and so I'm not current on all that. I just saw the sign at the local gas station here in Texas.
I'll see your 75¢ and raise you two Indian reservations.
"Wow. I went to that StuffYourOwn.com link. It looks like that would cut the cost by about 2/3rds. Is that about right ??"
http://www.yessmoke.com/
You'll be even more impressed.
Wow ! Pretty cheap alright. If I wasn't a reformed smoker, I'd be getting in touch with those folks.Grellis, you were asking about Camels in post #21? How does $13.95/carton of 200 cigs sound to you? Check out CBG's link at post #28 .....
My email is going out to each and every Michigan Senator informing them that I will never, ever contribute another penny to the republicrat party! They disgust me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
doesnt matter who voted against it, what matters is the bastards who didnt vote. This party is no longer my party and I am letting these jackasses know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sikkema will be the majority leader most remembered for losing the Senate majority. Mark my words.
FARGIN BASTAGES!!!
Which roller do you use? Give me a list of what items you bought if you don't mind. I think I will give it a shot. What do you carry them in? A metal cig case? Details..details...details...lol
I use the Supermatic Rolling Machine. Much better then the little plastic hand held.
Try this site for the machines, as well:
I found a whole bunch of cases on Ebay. Hard plastic and I have been using them for over 2.5 years. They really last. And I got them in all different colors. They have the flip top.
You can invest a lot of money in cigarette cases in sterling silver, etc, but I like to change off, so the ones I have are perfect for me.
How do you know what the tobacco tastes like? I smoke Doral Ultra Light 100's. I don't care for Hi Val cigs that you buy at Smoker Friendly shops in my area.
It's the law of diminishing returns - and the Laffer Curve rolled into one. Raise taxes on cigarettes and people will shrug and buy 'em cheaper somewhere else. Then politicians will get frustrated and raise them more, which creates the present-day black market.
Well, I smoked More Menthol for years. No other cigarette could compare. But when the taxes were increased again to raise the cost of a carton high enough to make me see red, I stated rolling my own.
The local Smoke Shop sells this tobacco. Red bag for regular and green bags for menthol.
I was leery too, until I rolled and smoked my first one. And I have been "hooked" ever since. (Pardon the pun). I never heard of Hi Val before. But I really enjoy this tobacco.
From what I hear, there are all kinds of bagged tobacco out there. You just have to find the one you like the best.
That's about 393million packs of cigarettes a year; there must be between 500,000 and 1,000,000 smokers in Michigan.
Who cares. Smokers are losers. Smokers are drug addicts. Granholm is ripping your butt off much bigger than a sin tax. Wake up, cancer breath.
BTW, some of us taxpayers are not interested in subsidizing the costs related to the idiocy of smoking.
That said, Sikkema is almost worthless.
Have you ordered from YesSmokes? Any duty?
Your attitude is precisely what will lead to more taxes on other things. Who gets to decide what behaviours the government will tax? At what point will you stand up to fight? Who will be there to stand by your side?
I won't!
Everyone I know who has used them says it's been no problem and no duty was actually collected. The only pain is it takes like 7-10 days to reach you. Other than that its a great resource.
Garcia's got a mixed record. I think he supported Sikkema's last tax increase scheme when he gave up our income tax rollback. Of course Garcia's worst vote was that for Sikkema to become majority leader.
Quantim's day is coming. It always does. No one will have his back.
Got news for you, Jenny Grandstand has bent you over and you don't even know it.
Been to the Secretary of State's office this year. 25 % increase in registration. 15% increase in Licenses, Plates on trailers have increased from 25-40 dollars to 75-200.
Yeah Grandstand is a real freaking blessing to Michigan.How''d you like that income tax roll back we were PROMISED when it was raised? Oh wait, it didn't happen because Grandstand needs it to pay for her fence walking tours to distract from her inability to LEAD. Instead she spends all her time tying to RAISE MY TAXES.
One other thing, the FAT Tax is just around the corner. Don't matter if your overweight or not. They will be instagating the sin tax on food in no time at all. Natural progression of Power hungry Legislidiots.
Ironic thing is had the SOB's not spend the Tobacco Settlement on every pet project they could dream up and create new levels of beurocracy they'd have the money to balance the budget NOW.
Ken Sikama is a wimp. Another in the mold of Trent Lott. A Eunuch, that allowed this to go thru so they could go on VACATION!
BTW, some of us taxpayers are not interested in subsidizing the costs related to the idiocy of smoking.
40 posted on 06/22/2004 7:27:47 PM PDT by quantim (Victory is not relative, it is absolute.)
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You should, because in the words of Bill Goldberg...."You're next!"
Already proposed by one Virg Bernero(D) out of the South Side of Lansing. It's called the "Pop Tax".
And Gretchen Whitmer(D) of East Lansing is pushing for a liquor tax.
And the saddest thing of all - I'm more worried about Johnson and Sikkema than Granholm right now.
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