13 Republicans. Doncha just love it!
If anyone believes that, they're smoking the wrong stuff.
Senate rejects tax increase on cigarettes (Michigan)
Posted on 05/31/2002 12:51 PM Eastern by Dan from Michigan
Senate rejects tax increase on cigarettes
Lawmakers must find other ways to balance budget
By Mark Hornbeck / Detroit News Lansing Bureau
LANSING -- The state Senate overwhelmingly rejected a proposal to raise the cigarette tax Thursday, hours after Gov. John Engler threw his clout behind it.
The 29-8 vote against a 25-cents per pack tobacco tax increase means Engler and lawmakers will have to scramble next week to find other ways to balance the state budget.
"There are no good choices. We've come to the end of our rope. Get ready for the budget cuts that are bound to come," said Senate Finance Committee Chair Joanne Emmons, R-Big Rapids, who voted in favor of the cigarette tax boost.
Thursday morning, Engler blessed an increase in the state excise tax on cigarettes in an effort to raise more than $150 million annually toward erasing a deficit of $300 million-plus in each of the next two years.
"A cigarette tax is good for the health of Michigan and the health of the budget," Engler said. "I think people would overwhelmingly support this over other options."
But the majority of senators didn't see it that way. "The right approach to this budget problem is cutting spending," said Sen. Valde Garcia, R-St. Johns.
Democrats voted "no," saying it's a levy on those least able to afford it. Many preferred delaying rollbacks in the state income and business taxes, which would pump more than $200 million into the budget.
The state last raised the cigarette tax -- by 50 cents a pack -- in 1994, to help pay for public schools as part of the Proposal A finance shift. In 1988, the tax was 25 cents; in 1960 it was just 6 cents.
The prospect of another increase irritated David Damman, 40, a laser operator from Sterling Heights. "A luxury tax is one thing, but this is ridiculous," said Damman, who smokes two packs of Marlboros a day. "Cigarettes already cost too much, especially when taxes are 70 percent of the cost."
Actually, a pack of cigarettes costs $3.50-$4.50, and taxes account for a little more than one-third of that amount.
States sinking in red ink are increasingly turning to the cigarette tax to bail them out, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Tobacco lobbyists who have been fighting the trend across the country say it's unfair to single out smokers to bolster dwindling budgets. And local store owners say additional taxes hurt their sales.
But public health advocates say a cigarette tax hike would save lives.
"Anytime you raise the price of tobacco, you get a decline in smoking, particularly among youth," said Jim Moore, program director for the American Lung Association of Michigan.
Senate rejects tax increase on cigarettes (Michigan)
This was in May. So what the heck happened??!!!!
Heck lets just slap on a 20% sales tax on people with felony records - Im sure they got visas too.
This RINO tried to buy the teacher's vote for Dubya by purchasing laptops for all Michigan teachers. At the same time, he squashed the referendum for school vouchers.
Glad I got my butt out of that state.
There's a shocker........
L