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Smoking out cigarette tax evaders
Chicago Tribune ^ | September 12, 2010 | Julie Wernau

Posted on 09/12/2010 1:34:22 PM PDT by ConservativeStatement

Chicago loses an estimated $120 million a year — and the U.S. billions — on uncollected taxes on cigarettes. But that could change with the Sept. 2 sale of a little-known Illinois company that produces cigarette tax stamps that are used throughout the country.

States have struggled for more than a half-century to control rampant cigarette tax evasion, the result of stamp counterfeiting, cross-border smuggling, sales of unstamped products and other illegal activity.

(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: cigarettes; cigarettetax; taxes
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Cue up "Tax Man"!
1 posted on 09/12/2010 1:34:26 PM PDT by ConservativeStatement
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To: ConservativeStatement

Another step toward Big Brother.


2 posted on 09/12/2010 1:37:05 PM PDT by sauropod (The truth shall make you free but first it will make you miserable.)
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To: ConservativeStatement

I would love to see if if everyone just up and quit smoking. Oh it would be the wailing and gnasing of teeth amongst the tax pimps. THEN we would see that they don’t really give a damn about the health effects of smoking...just the tax effects.


3 posted on 09/12/2010 1:37:05 PM PDT by FrankR (It doesn't matter what they call us, only what we answer to....)
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To: ConservativeStatement

Insanity

Why tax a person’s habit?


4 posted on 09/12/2010 1:37:29 PM PDT by wastedyears (Iron Maiden's new album in the top 5 in the US. Incredible)
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To: ConservativeStatement

“I need to see your license, registration and cigarette pack...”


5 posted on 09/12/2010 1:37:55 PM PDT by libertarian27 (Ingsoc: Department of Life, Department of Liberty, Department of Happiness)
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To: ConservativeStatement
Obie is the Taxman!
6 posted on 09/12/2010 1:38:27 PM PDT by mylife (Opinions $1 Halfbaked 50c)
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To: ConservativeStatement
Chicago loses an estimated $120 million a year — and the U.S. billions — on uncollected taxes on cigarettes

How can you lose what you never had?

7 posted on 09/12/2010 1:39:26 PM PDT by A_perfect_lady (Instead of building a grand mosque at Ground Zero, let's build a Ground Zero at their Grand Mosque.)
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To: ConservativeStatement

Wow! All that money Daley wasn’t able steal!!


8 posted on 09/12/2010 1:40:32 PM PDT by Oldpuppymax
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To: ConservativeStatement

The commie nanny state relies on smokers for its survival. Without the money stolen from smokers by the feds, the ‘RATS commie nanny state is toast. Communism has never worked anywhere.


9 posted on 09/12/2010 1:40:42 PM PDT by FlingWingFlyer (Don't you dare try to use MY Constitution to protect and defend MY enemies!)
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To: wastedyears
Why tax a person’s habit?

Because it's a hard habit to break, thus a reliable source of income if they can just figure out how to enforce it.

10 posted on 09/12/2010 1:41:09 PM PDT by A_perfect_lady (Instead of building a grand mosque at Ground Zero, let's build a Ground Zero at their Grand Mosque.)
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To: libertarian27

What would happen if I spit some Beechnut in his eye.....


11 posted on 09/12/2010 1:44:35 PM PDT by eyedigress ((Old storm chaser from the west)?)
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To: ConservativeStatement
Smoke a ciggie, get taxed. Smoke some pole and get a gubmint subside.

Cigarettes are bad MmmKay...???


12 posted on 09/12/2010 1:46:12 PM PDT by mylife (Opinions $1 Halfbaked 50c)
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To: FrankR
I've just gone to rolling my own, it's 1/10 th price.
13 posted on 09/12/2010 1:50:37 PM PDT by tired1 (When the Devil eats you there's only one way out.)
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To: ConservativeStatement
Chicago loses an estimated $120 million a year

Stop right there. You are not "entitled" to it.

14 posted on 09/12/2010 1:51:00 PM PDT by doodad
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To: A_perfect_lady

and why they don’t outlaw it.


15 posted on 09/12/2010 1:52:44 PM PDT by doodad
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To: ConservativeStatement

Every time the federal government mentions a new tax, it should start up the debate about repealing the 16th Amendment, the Income Tax, and replacing it with a simple, single tax, that outside of international tariffs, would be the federal government’s sole source of income.

With very strict controls on the ability of the federal government to issue bonds or other debt.

No exemptions, no fees, no licenses, no “sin taxes”, no VAT, no withholding, no other source of money for the federal government.

Since the individual States do much of the what the federal government demands of them, they should get the money to do it with directly. And if they don’t want to do it, then their senators should stand against it.

And I mean “their” senators, which means the repeal of the 17th Amendment, the Direct Election of Senators, which was a sneaky, faux democratic way, of preventing the States from protecting their citizens, from the federal government.


16 posted on 09/12/2010 1:57:32 PM PDT by yefragetuwrabrumuy
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To: ConservativeStatement
What a junk article. Supposedly Chicago is not getting to tax 75% of the cigarettes smoked in the city, but this technology does nothing to fix it. They know if retailers or individuals are now paying the city tax by the presence or absence of the city tax stamp. In this system, to check this simple thing would require an 800 dollar scanner, which only enforces at the retailer level.

More pimping of foreign companies with technology that actually goes backwards, making it harder on the city to enforce taxes that I think are unconstitutional.

17 posted on 09/12/2010 1:59:55 PM PDT by kingu (Favorite Sticker: Lost hope, and Obama took my change.)
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To: tired1

Me too!

I also grew three plants this year as an experiment.
It was easy and they’re terrific. Not even cured really, just dried!

Next year ten plants!


18 posted on 09/12/2010 2:01:58 PM PDT by mrsmith
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To: ConservativeStatement
Chicago loses an estimated $120 million a year — and the U.S. billions — on uncollected taxes on cigarettes.

Chicago smokers keep 120 million more of their hard earned labor.

19 posted on 09/12/2010 2:04:27 PM PDT by EGPWS (Trust in God, question everyone else)
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To: wastedyears
Why tax a person’s habit?

A socialist:

Because it's there and we can.

20 posted on 09/12/2010 2:06:25 PM PDT by EGPWS (Trust in God, question everyone else)
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