Posted on 01/10/2013 2:41:18 PM PST by GlockThe Vote
New York has the highest cigarette tax rate of any state, and nearly two-thirds of the state's cigarette market is illegal, announced the think tank Tax Foundation on Thursday.
The Tax Foundation said that 60.9% of cigarettes sold in New York State are smuggled in from other states.
This makes New York the biggest importer of black market cigarettes, along with the state's highest tax rate of $4.35 per pack. That's compared to Missouri, the state with the lowest rate, of 17 cents per pack.
In New York City the tax rate is even higher, adding another $1.50 per pack to the state rate. It's not uncommon for smokers to pay $12 for a pack.
The report said that tobacco smuggling and the tax rate have risen practically in tandem since 2006. The New York State tax on cigarettes has risen 190% since that time, as the rate of smuggling increased 170%.
(Excerpt) Read more at money.cnn.com ...
Here in Kansas, I’d say about 20% of the residents tag their vehicles in other states for the same reason. Because the personal property tax and registration fees are so damn high in this state.
I buy my cigs at:
Las Vegas Paiute Tribal Mini Mart, 1225 North Main Street, Las Vegas, NV
$25 a carton.
Viva Las Vegas!
I live here, too, and I do smoke.
I buy mine on the reservation [$30/carton vs. $100/carton at a "white" store]. Everyone else who smokes does, too. It's basic economics -- it's all about the price.
About 7 or 8 years ago, Ontario and Quebec faced the same issue and were wise enough to reduce their confiscatory cigarette taxes so as to increase government revenue.
New York's not smart enough for that. Taxes exist to punish the people [the rich and the smokers] and, dammit, that's how it will stay.
I agree.
But first, ban lighters and matches. Those cause the cigarette to catch fire. Hmmm. Ban inhaling.
The crazy thing is that the $4000 theft was less than 65 cartons of smokes.
“At one time they had spies at borderline stores taking down license plates and radioing it back to LE in TN.”
And let me tell you how I think that was neutralized, based on some similar shenanigans I was ... ahem ... aware of:
The same thing was happening at some boarder fireworks stores in PA. People from NY State (Where you can not buy fireworks) will routinely go to fireworks stores in PA to buy for the fourth of July. There were a few cases where the NY law enforcement would have a guy watch the cars going in and out of the parking lots of the fireworks stores and reporting the make, model and plate# back across the border. Then the when the car came back in to NY they would stop them and search them.
But they very quickly started coming up empty handed.
Why?
Because once the game was discovered, the buyers started driving away to some other location to off load the goods into another car - driven by someone who was never anywhere near the store. They would then both proceed back to NY crossing into the state at different places. The empty car was stopped and searched. The one with the merchandise wasn’t on the list.
Any time the govt sets oppresive taxes and regulations on an item the public wants a black market forms.
The disgusting pofs politicians refuse to accept this
I see what you did there. LOL!!!!
Push 'em back . . Push 'em back . . W-A-A-A-Y back ! ! !
I'm always delighted when those taxes backfire.
Me too! Anything that backfires on the govt and the politicians is good in my book.
This lifelong nonsmoker is getting a nice warm and fuzzy feeling thinking about Nanny Bloomberg losing money because of his obscene taxes.
I dont smoke and never have and i too feel all warm and fuzzy over this.
Gabz, there is a God. And HE is funnier than Eddie Murphy and Sam Kinison times Infiniti.
See Spitzer, Elliot
Amen. The smugglers are heroes. Statist politicians are criminals.
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