Maine:Health advocates ask for $1.50-per-pack cigarette tax increase

boston.com ^ | 3-18-05

[SheLion]

AUGUSTA, Maine -- Anti-smoking advocates came to the State House on Wednesday to ask lawmakers to increase Maine's cigarette tax by $1.50 cents a pack, which they said would give Maine the highest cigarette tax in the nation.

[SheLion]

But leaders of the Maine Coalition on Smoking Or Health acknowledged they have no bill in the Legislature to raise the tax from $1 to $2.50.

Coalition leaders said the higher tax would make cigarettes increasingly difficult to buy, especially for youths.

They estimated the tax would decrease the youth smoking rate by more than 20 percent, resulting in 20,700 fewer smokers and $331 million in long-term savings of medical costs for treatment of smoking-related diseases.

Advocates want the new taxes to go to anti-smoking and health-related programs.

"The health and economic impacts of a $1.50 increase will be tremendous," Dennise Whitley of the American Heart Association, one of the coalition members, said at a news conference.

The coalition pointed to a survey it said shows broad-based support for its proposal.

Gov. John Baldacci said that if a bill to raise the tax came forward he would be glad to review it, said spokesman Lynn Kippax.

"He is interested in anything to keep Mainers healthy, but he's also pledged not to raise taxes," said Kippax.

Maine last increased its cigarette tax by 26 cents a pack in 2001, bringing it to $1 per pack. The last previous increase was in 1998, when the tax was doubled to 74 cents.

[SheLion]

To all the non-smoking Mainers that think this is a good idea, let me fill you in on something:

The billions of money from the Tobacco Settlement money coming into the state of Maine is being paid for 100% by people IN MAINE who choose to smoke this legal commodity. NOT the government and NOT Big Tobacco.  THE MAINE SMOKERS!

Advocates want the new taxes to go to anti-smoking and health-related programs.

Oh really??!!

The taxes smokers in Maine are paying is NOT going for health-related programs!  The Partnership for a Tobacco Free Maine has spent that money to sponsor RACE tracks around the state and to sponsor 5 RACE CAR TEAMS in this state!  Going for health care?

Does anyone realize how much it cost just to sponsor ONE RACE CAR TEAM?  If you follow NASCAR, then you have some idea!  And the Maine smokers are paying for this and most Maine smokers have NO CLUE!!

Partnership For a Tobacco Free Maine spending $10,000 plus $4500 at Wiscasset Race Track,

Sunday 26th of May 2002. 

 

Kick Butts Racing is a statewide program that sponsors drivers at each of Maine's five short tracks as well as backing Maine native Tracy Gordon on the Busch North Series. Also wearing the Kick Butts Racing colors are Ryan Shepard at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway, Jimmy Kaler at Wiscasset Speedway, Mike Thomas at Speedway 95 in Hermon and Unity Raceway driver Jeff Burgess.

5 Race Teams sponsored with our cigarette taxes........

 

Governor Baldacci wants to cut Pet Programs. Why doesn't he start with the PTFM?

PAID for by cigarettes TAXES!

 

Maine has its priorities crossed.  Health advocates urged lawmakers to spare successful programs in anti-smoking funds.

Maine receives annually $55 million from the Tobacco Settlement, to which the smokers in Maine are paying for. Although Maine had a choice how to spend the money, it was intended for education and to pay for any sick smokers on welfare, should there be any.

House Speaker Michael Saxl said that given the $248 million budget shortfall facing the state, there must be room for some cuts in the health programs.

Attorney General Rowe said that Maine is one of the few state’s that has committed "most" of the money to health programs. I say "Show me the programs!" Most of this money is being spent on pet programs.

For instance: The Partnership for a Tobacco Free Maine is sponsoring Speedway 95, and Wiscasset Race Track. Memorial Day, the "prestigious" Partnership for a Tobacco Free Maine is awarding the winner of the Coastal 200- $10,000. With $4500 going to the runner-up.

I wonder how many people this money could have helped that can’t afford health insurance. I wonder how many people this would have helped in nursing homes who have no insurance. I wonder how this money could have helped with children’s nutrition, prescription drugs, child care and substance abuse.

Governor Baldacci states Maine Health Care is failing. The money PTFM is wasting at a racetrack could have been spent in a kinder more gentler way.

William Corr, executive director of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free kids says Big Tobacco is targeting our kids, while Corr is targeting the wallets of all who pay cigarette taxes in Maine.

This is a blatant slap in the face to all that pay cigarette taxes.

PAID FOR BY CIGARETTE TAX MONEY!

PTFM is funded by the Tobacco Settlement Money, to which the people who pay cigarette taxes in Maine pay into. Is this where the money should be spent?  A Race Track?  What about the much needed health care Gov. Baldacci says we need.

Also, a little old lady in Ellsworth was given money from the Maine cigarette taxes to PLANT A GARDEN IN THE TOWN SQUARE!

Tobacco Taxes

Maine's excise tax per pack of cigarettes: $1.000
Maine's excise tax collection for the
fiscal year ending June 2002: $95,006,000

Sales tax on tobacco products: 5.00%

Federal excise tax per pack of cigarettes: $0.39
Total federal excise tax collections in fiscal year 2002: $7,512,700,000

Click here for the Cigarette Tax and Payment Table for all states.

CIGARETTES DON'T PAY TAXES - MAINE SMOKERS DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Comparing Excise Taxes on Cigarettes, Beer and Wine 

Number of six-packs of beer that must be sold in Maine to produce the same state excise tax revenue generated by one carton of cigarettes: 50.8

Number of bottles of wine that must be sold in Maine to produce the same state excise tax revenue generated by one carton of cigarettes: 84.1 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Master Settlement Agreement Payments To Date 


$182,122,188 has been paid to Maine since the Master Settlement Agreement was signed on November 23, 1998.

[SheLion]

[sushiman]

If you really want folks to quit , raise the tax to $ 100 a pack !

[Route101]

Glad I stopped in 1983......

[SheLion]

If you really want folks to quit , raise the tax to $ 100 a pack !

That will just create a black market.  Do we really want that?

Since Maine raised the cigarette taxes LAST time, it has forced Maine smokers to buy over the Internet and to go elsewhere. It's a good thing Baldacci said he isn't going to raise taxes on anything, because there will be hell to pay.

[Gay State Conservative]

"Health" advocates would demand the banning of cigarettes. Tax advocates would demand every-higher taxes on them.

Why can't these leftist clowns,just once,be honest about who they are and what they want????

[SheLion]

If you really want folks to quit , raise the tax to $ 100 a pack !

Lots of SMOKERS in Japan my friend.  And when Mayor BloomingIdiot in New York City forced a smoke free city, the business men in Japan scrambled to find another smoker friendly city because they said they would refuse to go back to NYC without being able to SMOKE!

[Rebelbase]

My big tobacco insider says the 41% manufacturers cost is inflated by about 15%-20% on your chart #3.

[ran15]

Its no wonder the cigarette companies, along with most of the rest of corporate America is looking to places like China to relocate.

[Gabz]

"He is interested in anything to keep Mainers healthy, but he's also pledged not to raise taxes," said Kippax.

What hogwash.................everyone knows that politicians do not consider tobacco taxes to be taxes.

tobacco taxes are raised to balance budgets but when states have surpluses the money is never returned to smokers in the form of cutting tobacco taxes......no, all other taxes are cut, even though only 1/4 of the population contributed to the surplus permitting tax cuts.

[Gabz]

???????????????????????

[BallyBill]

Are ALL Auto workers union members?

[Madame Dufarge]

He was part of a hive yesterday. Apparently spamming all the threads is his goodbye kiss.

[SheLion]

My big tobacco insider says the 41% manufacturers cost is inflated by about 15%-20% on your chart #3.

NOTHING is inflated when it comes to cigarettes taxes.  I will never be convinced of that.

If so, prove it to me.

My big tobacco insider says the 41% manufacturers cost is inflated by about 15%-20% on your chart #3.

NOTHING is inflated when it comes to cigarettes taxes.  I will never be convinced of that.

If so, prove it to me.

[Madame Dufarge]

The coalition pointed to a survey it said shows broad-based support for its proposal.

I'd like to point to my survey, that shows 100% support for decreasing cigarette taxes.

OK, maybe the respondents are metesky and me, but still......

[SheLion]

To POOHBAH,

WHAT???!!!!  What are you talking about?  Who is POOHBAH????

[Gabz]

Gotcha.

[Rebelbase]

I don't have to prove anyting to you. I'm just telling you that my inside source claims the manufacturing cost of a pack of cigs is closer to 25%, not 41%.