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Feds fear cigarette tax may fuel acts of terrorism
The Argus ^ | March 11, 2005 | Steve Geissinger

Posted on 03/12/2005 8:23:15 PM PST by Land_of_Lincoln_John

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Illinois is also considering steep cigarette tax hikes. As a non-smoker, I don't know much about this issue, but it's a fair guess that other states are considering the same tactic to increase revenue.

Oh, a tip of the hat to Daniel Pipes, who referred to this article on his essential blog.

Oh here is a pic, which according to Pipes, was created by Islamists to insult him! I wish I'd get insulted this way.


1 posted on 03/12/2005 8:23:16 PM PST by Land_of_Lincoln_John
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To: Land_of_Lincoln_John

Someone call Texas and clue Perry and the Texas Leg. in on this.


2 posted on 03/12/2005 8:25:59 PM PST by need_a_screen_name
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To: Land_of_Lincoln_John

Stupid jackassed feds. First, they never should have put high taxes on cigarettes. Second, they never should have sued the tobacco companies. Stupid jackassed feds.


3 posted on 03/12/2005 8:26:50 PM PST by Enterprise (President George W. Bush - the leading insurgent detergent.)
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To: Land_of_Lincoln_John

Drug prohibition fuels terrorism.

Get the products out of the hands of the gangs and into legitimate companies and let the quality be controlled, the businesses taxed and the consumers informed. Just as we do with alcohol and tobacco.


4 posted on 03/12/2005 8:28:48 PM PST by johnmilken (75% of my posts are proved wrong within 10 minutes...)
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To: Land_of_Lincoln_John
But federal terrorism investigators told The Argus on Thursday that such seemingly innocent legislation, further hiking high cigarette costs in California, would fuel their already tough battle against terrorist groups' lucrative smuggling operations in the United States.

Same logic applies to the War on Some Drugs.

5 posted on 03/12/2005 8:34:04 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum
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To: Land_of_Lincoln_John
But federal terrorism investigators told The Argus on Thursday that such seemingly innocent legislation, further hiking high cigarette costs in California, would fuel their already tough battle against terrorist groups' lucrative smuggling operations in the United States.

Same logic applies to the War on Some Drugs.

6 posted on 03/12/2005 8:35:25 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum (Drug prohibition laws help fund terrorism.)
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To: Land_of_Lincoln_John

Anytime you have a commodity whose price is set artificially high due to illegality, cartel, or unusually high tax, it becomes a natural locus of criminal activity. The more artificial the price, the greater this phenomenon. Cocaine, diamonds, petroleum, and now tobacco are some examples.


7 posted on 03/12/2005 8:41:17 PM PST by SpaceBar
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To: SheLion

PING


8 posted on 03/12/2005 8:43:13 PM PST by kingattax ( "Evil triumphs when good men do nothing." -Thomas Jefferson)
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To: Land_of_Lincoln_John

Sounds like they are setting the stage for a uniform state tax which will raise the law states via a federal excise.


9 posted on 03/12/2005 8:52:27 PM PST by Raycpa
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To: Land_of_Lincoln_John
Cigarette taxes?

Can you say prohibition boys and girls?

I knew you could! (We all know where that went.)

Hiking cigarette taxes will have the same effect: i.e., none that's of any use. Tax revenues will level off at some point and will not go any higher no matter what rates the states or feds set.

Hint: see "Law of supply and demand."

10 posted on 03/12/2005 8:54:00 PM PST by Coyoteman
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To: Raycpa

Corrected: Sounds like they are setting the stage for a uniform federal tax which will raise the tax states in low tax states charge via a federal excise.


11 posted on 03/12/2005 8:54:13 PM PST by Raycpa
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To: Land_of_Lincoln_John
Bah, this is miniscule compared to the drug trade. Check out this excellent article about how Syria makes billions off heroin production.
12 posted on 03/12/2005 8:58:08 PM PST by billybudd
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To: Land_of_Lincoln_John

Kentucky's tobacco is supposed to go up 30 cents this
June. I suppose I'll write a thank you letter to Gov.
"fly your plane over the White House" Fletcher.

"P.C." taxes, makes me ill!




13 posted on 03/12/2005 9:06:09 PM PST by borntobeagle
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To: Land_of_Lincoln_John

The states desperately need money because, at the same time that they continue to spend at an irresponsible level, revenues are down due to offshoring: they used to enjoy taxes from production line workers at $25 an hour; now they are getting taxes from fast-food workers at $7 an hour. Big difference.


14 posted on 03/12/2005 9:09:35 PM PST by henderson field
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To: Land_of_Lincoln_John

Umm, how about identifying and deporting (or better yet, hanging) Islamofacists dealing in funneling finances to our enemies? That way, cigarette smuggling could be a venue reserved for honest American crooks.


15 posted on 03/12/2005 9:14:03 PM PST by Vigilanteman (crime would drop like a sprung trapdoor if we brought back good old-fashioned hangings)
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To: Land_of_Lincoln_John
The three lawmakers who authored the bills — Assemblywoman Fran Pavley, D-Woodland Hills, and Sens. Tom Torlakson, D-Antioch, and Wes Chesbro, D-Arcata — were unavailable for immediate comment.

They're probably all hiding out some where smoking cigarettes they purchased from some online source.

16 posted on 03/13/2005 3:18:11 AM PST by DumpsterDiver
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To: Land_of_Lincoln_John; Just another Joe; Madame Dufarge; MeeknMing; steve50; KS Flyover; ...
I'm just a little sick and tired of cigarettes and President Bush being blamed for all the ill's on earth!

Dear Governor, 

As a smoker and tax-paying citizen of this state, I am joining a nationwide smokers strike to inform the Governors of the states that smokers will no longer accept excessive and punitive taxation.  Nor will we accept unnecessary restrictions and regulations any longer.
Until that day comes, I will not purchase another pack of cigarettes manufactured by Phillip Morris, R J Reynolds, Brown & Williamson or Liggett - including any of their sub brands – I will no longer support the Master Settlement Agreement.  Instead, I will buy brands made by non-MSA companies
              

Smokers will willingly pay a fair rate of taxation: 


17 posted on 03/13/2005 5:55:28 AM PST by SheLion (The America we once knew and loved ........................is gone.)
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To: Land_of_Lincoln_John
Here is what Illinois smokers ALREADY pay with their cigarette tax dollars:Illinois Information

Illinois Smokers:
A public yahoo group for anyone who wants to talk about the Illinois ban situation.

Illinois Smokers Alliance:
A smokers ban discussion group from IL.  A public group but moderated against posts made by anti-smokers.

Illinois State Page:
Facts, Press Releases, Visiting, Government, and more.

IDPH Online:
Illinois Department of Public Health
535 West Jefferson Street
Springfield, Illinois 62761

 


 

alt

 

Tobacco Taxes

Illinois's excise tax per pack of cigarettes: $0.980
Illinois's excise tax collection for the
fiscal year ending June 2002: $471,551,000

Sales tax on tobacco products: 6.25%
Local tax on tobacco products: $60,605,152

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.

 

 

Comparing Excise Taxes on Cigarettes, Beer and Wine


click for larger view

Number of six-packs of beer that must be sold in Illinois to produce the same state excise tax revenue generated by one carton of cigarettes: 94.2


click for larger view

Number of bottles of wine that must be sold in Illinois to produce the same state excise tax revenue generated by one carton of cigarettes: 67.8



Illinois Smokers' Contributions
to the State Economy - FY2003

 

In 2002, Illinois smokers comprised only 22.9%1 of the adult population in the state. Here is what they already pay because they choose to buy a legal product:



Smokers Pay Excise Taxes2 $ 653,697,000
Smokers Pay Local Excise Taxes $ 160,325,000
Smokers Pay Sales Taxes2 $ 58,000,000
Smokers Pay Tobacco Settlement Payments3 $ 339,495,000
  $ 1,211,517,000


Smokers' Economic/Tax Profile 2002

Click here to read all of it

18 posted on 03/13/2005 6:11:13 AM PST by SheLion (The America we once knew and loved ........................is gone.)
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To: Land_of_Lincoln_John

19 posted on 03/13/2005 6:13:59 AM PST by SheLion (The America we once knew and loved ........................is gone.)
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To: Land_of_Lincoln_John
"Cigarette traffickers can make as much as $60 per carton."

I don't know where they get their numbers, but they would have to give me better than $30 with each carton for me to sell one at that markup here (ND).

Most class A brands are selling around $30 now. I buy 'cheapies' for about 16 bucks a carton.

20 posted on 03/13/2005 6:19:09 AM PST by Smokin' Joe (I work with computers too much to let one run my car!)
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