SMOKING POLICE
Posted on 01/12/2006 12:12:48 PM PST by elkfersupper
Worried that measures to limit smoking don't go far enough, Elk Grove Village officials are considering banning the sale of cigarettes, apparently the first time that has been seriously proposed in Illinois, experts said. Mayor Craig Johnson said the village would be hypocritical to consider a current proposal to restrict smoking in bars and restaurants without going after cigarettes themselves. "If we think smoking is so detrimental to the community that we should ban it, then we should think about a ban on selling cigarettes,"
(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...
Aw, we only disagree about that one thing.
Thanks!
Since Chicago recently got the fattest city rating by a Mens mag maybe they should prohibit the sale of Twinkies.
Who knows but this same mayor might be for the legalization of heroin.
Muleteam1
And it's a good one - demonstrating absurdity by being absurd.
Trouble is, with this issue, absurdity has become the norm.
I'm not a lawyer, and I don't play one on TV, but-
There are 'dry' counties and states that ban alcohol, why is this different?
True. Enough people probably support the move.
Thanks for the ping. I was going to post this after the NJ Stripper Rally ended. You beat me to it. :)
If they stopped selling tobacco products, they would have to give up the big Tobacco Settlement they have been getting.
Suburban Chicago mayor proposes ban on tobacco sales
ELK GROVE VILLAGE, Ill. Elk Grove Village Mayor Craig Johnson has proposed banning all tobacco sales.
The village already has been considering a smoking ban in public places like those already adopted in Chicago and other suburbs.
But at this week's village board meeting, Johnson said Elk Grove Village should consider banning the sale of all forms of tobacco, including cigarettes, cigars, pipes and chewing tobacco.
Johnson says overriding health concerns trump sales tax revenue considerations.
The mayor says he thinks the village could withstand a legal challenge if it banned all tobacco sales. But Illinois Attorney General's office spokeswoman Melissa Merz said yesterday she couldn't immediately determine whether or not it would be legal.
They will be thrown in with the diabetics from NY that don't keep their insulin levels under control.
Yah! Ban sales of cigarettes. That'll prevent smoking.
Ban condom sales, so teenagers won't have sex, too.
Let's see....
How about all spandex clothing in women's sizes over 8, to prevent unsightly bulges.
Ban strings of outdoor Christmas lights, too. We don't want any tacky looking houses.
Why won't Republicans just leave people the hell alone? What is it with these control freaks?
I hope they are also considering banning hamburgers, coffee, tea, motorcycles, performance cars, bicycles, on and on and on.
How utterly ridiculous.
Coming soon to your town / county / state.
Next is criminal possession of tobacco.
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
Comparing Excise Taxes on Cigarettes, Beer and Wine
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
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 2003, Illinois smokers comprised only 23.4% of the adult population in the state. Here is what they already pay because they choose to buy a legal product:
Smokers Pay Excise Taxes $ 744,402,000
Smokers Pay Sales Taxes $ 94,252,000
Smokers Pay Local Excise Taxes $ 189,078,000
Smokers Pay Tobacco Settlement Payments $ 288,800,000
$1,316,532,000
Smokers' Economic/Tax Profile 2003
Income
Illinois smokers' median household income $37,156
Illinois nonsmokers' median household income $45,737
Working families pay more
32% of Illinois smokers had household incomes LESS THAN $25,000
17% of Illinois smokers had household incomes EQUAL TO or GREATER THAN $75,000
The impact of smoker payments on the incomes of working families was more than THREE TIMES the impact on higher income smokers. Those who can afford it least pay a disproportionate percentage of their hard-earned income in smoker payments.
Smoker excise tax/sales tax/tobacco settlement payments liability in FY2004
Total average paid per Illinois smoker in excise and sales taxes $479
Cost per Illinois smoker for settlement payments to Illinois $134
Total annual payments to Illinois per smoker $613
Total annual payments to Illinois per nonsmoker $0
Especially when they see their tax base shrink!!! I say go for it. It will be a chance for the smokers to stick it to government!
Well, here is one alternative:
Can't stand the high taxes?
Afraid to order off of the Internet?
Then start rolling your own!!! I find everything but the machine downtown at the local Smoke Shop. Also, Rite Aid and grocery stores also sell the bags of tobacco and the filtered tubes.
I roll out a beautiful carton for a little under $8 dollars. Premiums in my state are now up to $45-$50 a carton. Can you imagine the money I have saved over the past 4 years since I now roll my own? It's mind boggling.
under $50.00
$5.75 a bag
$1.99 for 200 filtered tubes
and
Yeah, I wound up being only a bit player in that one because my connection got stomped last night.
Sorry.
Oh well, looks like you'll have to take over again for awhile - I have to get some paying work done.
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