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California speaker proposes $3 cigarette tax
San Jose Mercury News ^ | Aug. 06, 2002 | AP

Posted on 08/07/2002 2:47:45 PM PDT by Schatze

Edited on 04/13/2004 3:29:41 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]

SACRAMENTO (AP) - Assembly Speaker Herb Wesson proposed Tuesday to abandon a plan to raise California's car tax and instead increase cigarette taxes to $3 a pack -- the highest in the nation.

"This tax is a voluntary tax. If you don't smoke, you don't pay the tax," said Wesson, D-Culver City.


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


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Government; US: California
KEYWORDS: californiabudget; cigarettetaxes; michaeldobbs; nothing2cheremoveon; pufflist
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Davis' budget also includes a plan to sell bonds to be paid off with future collections from the 1998 settlement with tobacco companies.

As they seem to be doing everything they can to put the tobacco companies out of business, I wonder where they think they're going to get "future collections." Evidently, these people weren't required to take a course in logic when they were in college.

1 posted on 08/07/2002 2:47:45 PM PDT by Schatze
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To: Schatze
Saw a blurb about cigarette sales being down 50% in NY - so much for the money they were going to raise by taxing them.
2 posted on 08/07/2002 2:52:58 PM PDT by chance33_98
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To: *puff_list; Ernest_at_the_Beach
Index Bump
3 posted on 08/07/2002 2:53:02 PM PDT by Free the USA
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To: chance33_98
Hehe, I bet smoking isn't down 50%, though. I'm sure PA, NJ, VT, NH, and CT appreciate the business!
4 posted on 08/07/2002 2:56:35 PM PDT by Teacher317
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To: Schatze
Why stop at three dollars? Why not six, or sixty dollars?
5 posted on 08/07/2002 2:56:40 PM PDT by A. Morgan
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To: Schatze
Now, Wesson wants to scrap the car tax plan and raise smokers' tax by $2.13 cents above the existing 87 cent-a-pack tax. That translates to a total $3 a pack in cigarette taxes.

Assembly budget chairman John Campbell, R-Irvine, ought to tell them that it will take $4.17 (or more) to balance the budget. But he should vote against it, of course. The objective is to let the nuts and fruits see what flakes they have for representatives...heh-heh

6 posted on 08/07/2002 2:57:53 PM PDT by VRW Conspirator
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To: Schatze
"This tax is a voluntary tax. If you don't smoke, you don't pay the tax," said Wesson, D-Culver City.

Paging any Republican legislator who will use the same logic to put confiscatory taxes on the activities liberals prefer. How about an abortion tax - say $10,000 per abortion? If you don't kill your baby, you don't pay the tax.

7 posted on 08/07/2002 2:58:31 PM PDT by Argus
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To: Schatze
Well at least so far the Republicans are holding tight and the democrats are the ones making the concessions. I hope they keep holding out.
8 posted on 08/07/2002 2:58:46 PM PDT by Uncle Hal
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To: Schatze
Bump for later.
9 posted on 08/07/2002 2:59:43 PM PDT by Springman
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To: chance33_98
...cigarette sales being down 50% in NY

Hmmmmm....sales may be down 50%, but smoking may be up due to sales from the internet, neighboring States and especially the (Native-American)Indian tax free(?) stores.


10 posted on 08/07/2002 3:00:32 PM PDT by Stand Watch Listen
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To: Schatze
We're screwed.

In other news, the Judge in the settlement talks between California and several power companies has closed the settlement talks and sent the case to the FERC judge for a hearing. California signed long term contracts for energy at rates up to $285 per megawatt hour last year. The rate on the spot market today is $30. As you can see, the state's leaders are total idiots who have no idea what they are doing, how business works, or how things will change or be effected by their actions in the future.

11 posted on 08/07/2002 3:00:43 PM PDT by monkeyshine
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To: chance33_98
My mom told me she saw that the other day. Maybe it was Fox's news ticker. Not being widely reported anywhere.
12 posted on 08/07/2002 3:01:29 PM PDT by Dianna
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To: chance33_98
Saw a blurb about cigarette sales being down 50% in NY - so much for the money they were going to raise by taxing them.

I believe Mayor Bloomberg stated that he would raise taxes on cigs so high he would be glad not to receive any revenue(ie make them so expensive everyone will quit.)

Of course this ignores evidence and experience provided by the WOD. Reported hijackings and cigarette smuggling operations have taken off as a result of high taxes. Indian reservations are doing quite a brisk business in cig sales here in San Diego.

13 posted on 08/07/2002 3:02:09 PM PDT by amused
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To: Argus
Yes, the income tax is voluntary too. Don't work, don't pay.
14 posted on 08/07/2002 3:02:55 PM PDT by The Vast Right Wing
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To: A. Morgan
I buy cigs from Indian reservation for $10 a CARTON!
15 posted on 08/07/2002 3:11:31 PM PDT by Warren
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To: The Vast Right Wing
My company operates over 250 trucks and is based in CA with terminals in 7 other locations in the western states. My drivers all hope CA will raise cig taxes. It is common in the trucking industry for drivers buy cigs legally in one state and sell them in others. None of my drivers seem to complain about going to NY anymore.
16 posted on 08/07/2002 3:11:43 PM PDT by umgud
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To: chance33_98
Saw a blurb about cigarette sales being down 50% in NY - so much for the money they were going to raise by taxing them.

Well 8 cents times 30 million packs is Less than $1.50 times 15 million packs. It looks income positive to me.

Note I am pro-freedom and anti tobacco-taxes.

17 posted on 08/07/2002 3:14:42 PM PDT by NeoCaveman
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To: amused
Reported hijackings and cigarette smuggling operations have taken off as a result of high taxes.

The cost to combat these crimes -- along with people purchasing from the Internet and Indian reservations -- will probably more than offset whatever increase the state gets in taxes. These pols need a basic course in economics.

18 posted on 08/07/2002 3:19:14 PM PDT by Schatze
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To: Schatze
"This tax is a voluntary tax. If you don't smoke you don't pay the tax." Smirks Wesson. Sounds like the CEO of the snake oil division of Wesson. By his reasoning, all taxes are voluntary. If you don't eat you don't pay food tax-if you don't work, you don't pay income tax-If you never accumulate property, you never pay property tax-If we impeach all the politicians and never elect another one, we don't pay any taxes at all.
19 posted on 08/07/2002 3:19:57 PM PDT by F.J. Mitchell
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To: F.J. Mitchell
If we impeach all the politicians and never elect another one, we don't pay any taxes at all.

I vote for this option.

20 posted on 08/07/2002 3:23:23 PM PDT by Schatze
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