Posted on 11/10/2004 11:48:22 AM PST by Reagan Man
Think how much more money they would have had if they had just raised taxes on cigarettes instead of letting trial lawyers sue and take a 1/3 of the cut...
Too bad they let themselves be painted into a corner by Big Educrats.
Get over it Owens this is NOT and never has been tobacco company money..........the companies were permitted by the settlement to raise the price of cigarettes to cover the payments to the states.
This is a tax on smokers and only smokers.
Ping.
To pay for the settlement the price of a pack of cigarettes was raised by 45cents......that money is NOT coming from the companies, but from smokers.
As usual government theives are balancing the budget on the backs of less than 1/4 of the taxpayers.
*sigh* Tell this to all on here who think Owens should run for Pres next time around.
I don't care if they try to go foro the one-time payment.
My gripe is the folklore (lie) that the settlement money is coming from the industry. And it is continually perpetuated by people who should know better.
We are going through the same deal here in Oklahoma were the foolish passed a 80 cents a pack tax. Thank God the Tribes that run all the Smoke Shops are contesting it.
A one-time payment I could live with, as well. Balancing the budget (as if) on the backs of smokers is wrong. We can't even get federal monies to get our cruddy roads fixed.
The counties all have wildly different tax bases mainly to pay for road construction.
You are missing the point. The state will receive the money from the tobacco companies regardless of how those companies generate the revenues. Owens is asking the legislature to re-allocate where those revenues are spent.
Virginia increased cig taxes this year for the first time in who knows how long, for, you guessed it............to balance the budget.
Folks from Maryland still cross the line to buy here, because it's still cheaper.....but still.
We have the same cross-over affect here with the foolish liquor laws. Since our town is some fifteen miles from the Missouri state line one can buy booze (gasp! Even on election days and Sundays!) for nearly 20% less in another state. The mooks in the legislature can't seem to grasp the concept that they are outsourcing all the revenue to another state!
As an added bonus: Missouri chills it's beer and Oklahoma does not.
Thanks for the ping, Madame Dufarge. Let me read this.
Oh sure. Let the SMOKERS carry the weight of state budgets on our backs. It sure is easy for the anti/non-smokers to dump the load on smokers. We are TIRED of it!
Think how much more money they would have had if they had just raised taxes on cigarettes instead of letting trial lawyers sue and take a 1/3 of the cut...
Can anyone believe this chit?
So, put it to a vote. You'll still lose.
The brutal choice is: pay more or quit.
I like wine, and will not quit drinking it, but I have to pay the taxes on it to enjoy it.
Between this and the marital rumors I have gotten over Owens and am now supporting, if he'll run, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty.
Owens has lost my support. It is either Sanford or Pawlenty..
I like Frank Keating. He's rested and ready.
Pawlenty/Sanford 2008.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.