Posted on 04/26/2004 8:08:18 PM PDT by WKB
Republican Gov. Haley Barbour says he will veto a cigarette tax increase if it hits his desk.
“I ran a campaign (and) very emphatically, repeatedly, consistently said that I was against raising anybody’s taxes — whiskey taxes, gambling taxes, cigarette taxes, chewing tobacco taxes, liquor taxes, beer taxes, sales taxes,” Barbour said today. “If you can think of any other taxes, I’m against raising them.”
House leaders are proposing a 9-cent per pack tax increase on cigarettes to pay to open and operate several mental health crisis centers that have been built around the state. Speaker Billy McCoy says the tax would generate $21.9 million a year. Mississippi has charged 18 cents tax per pack of cigarettes since 1985 — one of the lowest rates in the nation.
Barbour is a former Washington lobbyist for tobacco companies. Asked if that influenced his opposition to a cigarette tax increase, he said: “My thoughts on that are influenced by the fact that raising taxes is the enemy of controlling spending.” Barbour spoke at a luncheon sponsored by the Capitol press corps and Mississippi State University’s John C. Stennis Institute of Government. McCoy, D-Rienzi, said later at the Capitol that he’s not bothered by Barbour planning to veto a cigarette tax bill.
“As the House of Representatives moves and evolves through a legislative session, we make decisions based on testimony that we see and hear,” McCoy said. He said the House will vote “at the proper time” on a resolution allowing a cigarette tax bill to be filed. Because the normal bill-filing deadlines have passed, both the House and the Senate must give two-thirds approval for a bill to be written. It would then take three-fifths majorities to pass a tax increase. Overriding a governor’s veto takes a two-thirds majority.
Barbour said he doesn’t think there’s enough support in the House and Senate to even send a cigarette tax bill to his desk.
Also Monday, the governor said he will not veto a bill that gives salary increases to sheriffs and other counties officials. He said he would have preferred a bill that gave discretion to the counties rather than mandating the increases.
The bill, approved by both chambers last Friday, gives 20 percent raises to sheriffs, supervisors and other county officials. The raises for most positions would be mandatory, but supervisors would have to vote to accept their own raise. It would be the county officials’ first raise in eight years.
Now THAT is the kind of governor we need in EVERY state.
Definately a Republican. Remember, he actually got elected.
Are you suggesting these parties owe the Libertarian party more than it's lawfully entitled to? What next? Should Republicans drop their own candidacies and campaign for Libertarians?
No way.
Yeah, its always someone else's fault. If it wasn't for the nasty Democrats or Republicans the voters would wholeheartedly embrace the libertarians and their desire to legalize drugs and child porn.
I can understand you being against legalization of [some] drugs. Most people/parties who are against freedom and liberty do share that position. Nice crowd.
Glad you think so.
BTW, did you know that Harry Browne believes we provoked the islamists into attacking us and should just leave them alone and bring our military home? If the democrats fail to produce a viable candidate this year, I think I know who Osama and the french will be backing.
I'm sure there are more aggressive sources elsewhere.
Good advice. That's why I always have my handy dandy Libertarian platform easily accessible. Here are two paragraphs from section 3 a.
"the repeal of all laws regarding consensual sexual relations, including prostitution and solicitation, and the cessation of state oppression and harassment of homosexual men and women, that they, at last, be accorded their full rights as individuals;"
"the repeal of all laws regulating or prohibiting the possession, use, sale, production, or distribution of sexually explicit material, independent of "socially redeeming value" or compliance with "community standards";"
You talk about my crowd. What a disgusting group of human beings you associate yourself with.
Yup. Try their own website. WWW.LP.ORG A hornet's nest of disgust.
As you know, libertarians are liberals who support tax cuts.
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