City smokers to start paying $7 a pack today

News Radio 88 ^ | 7/1/02

[areafiftyone]

(New York-AP) -- It's costly to be a smoker in New York City now.

Beginning today, cigarette smokers in the city will pay more than seven dollars a pack for many major brands. The Bloomberg administration's new tax on cigarettes is expected to raise an additional 111 (M) million dollars of revenue this year.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg says the tax will prevent 50-thousand deaths -- including over 33-thousand premature deaths among city children.

The law raises the city tax on cigarettes from eight cents a pack to one dollar and 50 cents a pack.

Smokers in New York City will now pay more than double the national average for cigarettes.

Critics of the new tax say consumers could avoid the taxes by buying cigarettes over the Internet, in nearby states or from Indian reservations and from the underground market.

The mayor spent months negotiating with the City Council over how to close a five (B) billion dollar budget gap.

Besides the new cigarette tax, new fees were approved for cell phones and parking tickets for the budget year -- which begins today.<

[biblewonk]

I am sure spending a lot of effort taking care of my Mother in Law who smoked herself into a wheel chair. She lost her leg due to bad circulation due to 57 years of smoking and eating junk food. Now she wants Medicare to buy her new leg for 8500 bucks, which they did. BUT, now her stump shrunk and they want to sell her/medicare another 8500 dollar leg after only 12 weeks. Meanwhile my wife and homeschooling mother of 8 has to haul her all over the city to get her hair done and buy her groceries and take her to new leg therapy. Her Dr told her she was too old and only 1 out of 5 people her age can use a fake leg. AND THE WOMAN IS A DEMOCRAT!!!

I could give a rats ass how much they tax cigarettes.

[Movemout]

Making criminals out of common people seems to be the theme of the day.

[TomGuy]

Native American stores both in NY and over the internet will probably see a boom in business. I'm 1 mile from a NA store (Oklahoma), and their native brand is about 1/5 of those NYC prices.

[WKB]

I've been saying for years that I couldn't afford to smoke if it "cured" cancer. This proves it!

[nravoter]

Would it be legal for me to buy cigarrettes in my own town, then take them to NY and sell them to someone? A private sale?

Oh, I see: trying to cash in on the Tobacco Show Loophole!

[ofMagog]

There are cheaper ways to get nicotine...

[Movemout]

Tou're a bitter litle wonk aren't you?

[Flyer]

Beginning today, cigarette smokers in the city will pay more than seven dollars a pack for many major brands.

Doing a little smart shopping I can get most major brands for $3 - 3.50 in Houston. I smell a business opportunity.

Oh yeah, I know it's illegal.

[areafiftyone]

The Native American Stores (if there are any in New York State) would be waaaaaaaaay upstate. People in New York City rarely go way upstate. More than likely they will go down south for their cigarettes. I am always traveling down south and I buy cheaper cigarettes for my friend who smokes when I go down.

[verity]

It's costly to be a smoker live in New York City...

[YankeeReb]

Would it be legal for me to buy cigarrettes in my own town, then take them to NY and sell them to someone? A private sale?

Don't get caught. If the city was as dilligent about deporting illegal aliens as they are about untaxed cigarettes, we'd have a lot fewer problems in this country.

[Just another Joe]

EXPENSIVE Puff

[areafiftyone]

The bible is right on the money when it says that the lust for money is the root of all evil. I say power/money, but I guess it goes hand in hand.

You are right and the Bible is right. IT'S THE ALMIGHTY DOLLAR!

[300winmag]

Mayor Michael Bloomberg says the tax will prevent 50-thousand deaths -- including over 33-thousand premature deaths among city children.

And where did he get those hard numbers? The same place liberals get all their statistics, right out of their ass. But they know the kneepad media will never challenge their numbers. Meanwhile, they'll write "Bush alleges two plus two equals four".

If these numbers were even 10% correct, it would be criminal and immoral not to ban smoking. By their own numbers, they place government revenue above the saving of innocent lives. That's the sort of thing they regularly accuse conservatives of doing.

I don't smoke, but I'd rather spend my life in a room full of guys smoking cheap cigars than have to put up with these smoking nazis. I'll be cheering on the "buttleggers", who are really freedom fighters.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

It was in 1986, at Dahl's in Des Moines, IA.

[YankeeReb]

The Native American Stores (if there are any in New York State) would be waaaaaaaaay upstate. People in New York City rarely go way upstate. More than likely they will go down south for their cigarettes. I am always traveling down south and I buy cheaper cigarettes for my friend who smokes when I go down.

I believe there is one out on the east end of L.I. in Westhampton. The Shinnocock Indians sell them at bargain prices. Of course you won't find a single Indian on that reservation, but that's another story.

[TBall]

"The Bloomberg administration's new tax on cigarettes is expected to raise an additional 111 (M) million dollars of revenue this year." Optimum stupidity?

[wheezer]

I believe there is one out on the east end of L.I. in Westhampton.

There is.

How convenient for all the rich, elitist friends of Bloomberg who can continue to get their smokes at wholesale rates.