Governor proposes tripling cigarette tax

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ^ | Friday, June 07, 2002 | John M.R. Bull

[Willie Green]

HARRISBURG -- Faced with a $1.2 billion deficit and a new study that shows teens still are illegally buying cigarettes, Gov. Mark Schweiker yesterday proposed more than tripling the state tax on cigarettes to $1 a pack.

"They say timing is everything. Today, it's time to try something new," Schweiker said. He proposed raising the cigarette tax by 69 cents a pack, from 31 cents, which would increase the average cost of a pack of cigarettes in the state from $3.50 to $4.19.

[brat]

The persecution of smokers just never quits, does it! They are targeting us and subjecting us to uncalled for tyranny. I would think even non smokers would say enough is enough. What about our rights?

[dheretic]

I'm all for excise taxes as an alternative to income taxes. Smokes aren't a necessity therefore they should be taxed. You want keel over and die without them the way you would without food, water or medicine (which I feel should have no tax on them at all). You chose to addict yourself to them. For my state at least I would like to see an increase in the sales tax from 4.5% to about 7-7.5%, the alcohol and tobacco product taxes increased, gas tax made into a progressive tax by octane and the complete abolition of both individual and corporate income taxes. Think of how much money could be raised if pot were legalized. The government could add a tax of $10-$15 per equivalent to a pack of cigarettes and most users would call it a bargain. I, and most libertarians, have no problems taxing vice because they are the ultimate in luxury items because they have no value other than sensual pleasure.

[Max McGarrity]

BTTT, brat. Thanks. I think.

[KineticKitty]

I quit smoking 4 years ago after many years of smoking. And you are correct, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. Sure we live in a country of freedom, but apparently you have to pay out the Wazoo to enjoy some of those freedoms. < /sarcasm>

[Husker24]

They might as well just skip all the BS and just put a $500 a pack tax on it, thats what there headed for, and once they're done with the cigarettes they will be comeing for the ammunition. Theyll start with 5 cents a bullet and work thier way up untill you cant affort to have a gun any more, but hey, youll still have the right.

[#3Fan]

I've been a nonsmoker all my life and agree that cigarettes shouldn't be taxed any more than anything else. Any tax that takes an excessive amount of money out of the efficient private sector and funnels that money into the ineffecient public sector robs the general population of standard of living.

[Newbomb Turk]

Just as long as it's someone elses vice right ? After all you wouldn't want to be taxed on your McDonalds cheese burger would you. How about on your soda or bottled water ? Get ready because they are next. If cigarettes are so damn bad why are they still legal. Answer, because Uncle Sam needs you to smoke because he needs the money. P.S. Diet Coke is my addiction I don't smoke.

[KS Flyover]

It also would raise an estimated $617 million that lawmakers desperately need to offset a budget deficit of at least $1.2 billion by the end of the fiscal year, June 30. Another $11.5 million could come from a first-time 40 percent tax on the wholesale price of smokeless tobacco products.

[snip ...]

Sure it's about money, but that doesn't mean it's a bad thing, said Bill Godshall of Pittsburgh, executive director of SmokeFree Pennsylvania, which has been pushing for an increase to the state's cigarette tax for 11 years.

Gov. Mark Schweiker must barely be able to hold back laughing his ass off while he spouts nonsence like:

"In the end, this isn't about revenues, spreadsheets or Rainy Day Funds," he said. "This is about stopping a child from buying that first pack of cigarettes or chewing tobacco. This is about saving lives."

Oh sure. Anyone in their right mind can see that it's not about money. It's only "for the children". </BS>

What a frickin' loser.

[TLBSHOW]

the goal is ten bucks a pack

[Calvin Locke]

the goal is ten bucks a pack

Then what? The V-chip programmed to tune in CNN when you try to put Foxnews on?

Took this pricing course (c. 1992). IIRC, a carton's COGS was around $6. Everything thing else is the various markups,
taxes, taxes, taxes, and more taxes. So the companies are predicting an 8% decrease. I don't see it stated where the remaining sales would come from.

Indian Reservations, and ???. I don't know the price/pack in most of the neighboring states. I wonder how many out of staters buy in PA?

[cajun-jack]

bigindian dot com has marlboros for $30.25 per carton (5 carton minimum) no tax and they pay the shipping....and yes i smoke like a train and yes i know it isn't good for me...but then neither (if you listen to vegans) all the wonderful spicy fattening cajun food i ingest almost as often as i smoke!!!! you can't legislate morality anymore than you can behavior (except for seatbelts and speeding) ooopppsss....people still don't wear seatbelts and they still speed....damn!!!! whodathunkit????

[Willie Green]

bump

[Just another Joe]

"In the end, this isn't about revenues, spreadsheets or Rainy Day Funds," he said. "This is about stopping a child from buying that first pack of cigarettes or chewing tobacco.

BULL!
It's ALL about budgets and control!

[Great Dane]

Fast food isn't a necessity, obesity is a higher risk to health than smoking, I don't do fast food, so I am all for taxing it at the same rate as cigarettes.

[brat]

You forgot to mention bullets....should they be taxed too because they're not a necessity? What about toilet paper? LOL

[dheretic]

Bullets have a constitutional defense as they are a necessary component of the 2nd amendment. "shall not be infringed" is pretty specific. Taxation of bullets can be legitimately called an infringement of the 2nd amendment rights because it may prevent some citizens from exercising their rights.

[goldstategop]

Raise it to $100 or even $1,000 a pack! Why stop at a measly $1.00 increase? After all its all for the children.

[Justa]

"Fast food isn't a necessity, obesity is a higher risk to health than smoking, I don't do fast food, so I am all for taxing it at the same rate as cigarettes."

By that reasoning at what rate would you tax abortions?

[dheretic]

Neither do I. You cannot tax McDonalds without taxing every restaurant chain out there with perhaps the exception of Outback because it takes them so long to cook anything that it cannot be classified as fast food. Which would you rather pay, an excise tax on cigarettes or an income tax? I'd rather people pay the former than the latter especially if we are going to maintain a state-supported medical system. If some poor schmuck is going to smoke himself into lung cancer, by God he better be putting good money into the system to support himself every time he buys a pack. Same with alcohol and drugs. Don't do the vice if you cannot afford to pay for the health costs. I would be in favor of no tax on tobacco or alcohol if there was no public subsidizing of health care for drinkers and smokers and private hospitals were in no way forced to give aid to the poor. If we are going to have a safety net for idiots who f&%$ their bodies, by God they'll pay out their asses to support that safety net. I, and everyone else that doesn't drink or smoke, have no responsibility whatsoever to support them if they inflict disease and injury on themselves by their own stupidity.