Most smokers likely wouldn't dodge levy

Sacramento Bee ^ | 8/8/02 | Steve Wiegand

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

California cigarette smokers may have to cough up more money to help balance the state budget, but recent history indicates most of them won't resort to desperate measures to avoid a tax increase on their habit.

"There will be some who will look to buy their cigarettes out of state or online or at the Indian reservations," said Dave Hayes, research manager for the state Board of Equalization, which oversees cigarette taxes. "But the majority of them will shrug their shoulders and pay the tax."

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

When the spending continues to increase and cigarette taxes no longer effective, what's next?

[sailor4321]

This is one helluva opportunity for those of us who want to pick up some extra money by selling untaxed cigarettes. I'm just going to sell enough to offset my extra costs from the "nickel a bullet" tax which the radical leftists controlling Sacramento will implement after the election. Don't screw it up!

[jokar]

Thank you for ordering from

Http://www.yesmoke.com

[jokar]

$14.95 a carton American brands

[chnsmok]

Ha ha ha. Oh stop! You're kill'in me! Ha ha ha! Rolling on floor...Ha ha ha!

[KS Flyover]

[Great Dane]

. "But the majority of them will shrug their shoulders and pay the tax."

Are they speaking from experience or are they living in a dream world.

Survey say's, do they really expect smokers to admit they are circumventing the tax....... get real.

[Gorzaloon]

"But the majority of them will shrug their shoulders and climb into the boxcars."

Totalitarians always seem to have the same beliefs.

[Madame de Winter]

They will legalize pot. In California you won't be able to smoke anything anywhere, but just think of the tax possibilites.

Enough said, but sin taxes Rule....

[uncbob]

Really proves you are an addict when they state continues to stick it to you and you keep bending over

[John W]

State faces new revenue shortfall

Revenue drops $84 million below projections; new taxes yet to take effect

Associated Press via Ft. Wayne Journal-Gazette

INDIANAPOLIS - State tax revenues in July were $84.2 million below projections, marking a dismal beginning to the new fiscal year with yet another hit on Indiana's tattered finances.

Revenue collections were 11.3 percent below a target that had been revised to reflect the General Assembly's recent passage of a sweeping tax-increase and tax-restructuring package, according to figures released Wednesday.

"This is a disappointment," Gov. Frank O'Bannon said. "While there is some fear at the national level that the United States could go into a double-dip recession - that is, the economy may dip back down after a brief recovery - Indiana has yet to see even an inkling of a recovery."

That means state officials must- Gov. Frank O'Bannon continue to keep a tight grip on finances, he said.

When the tax-and-budget law went into effect July 1, O'Bannon and many lawmakers expressed hope that it would "stop the bleeding" and could help Indiana get through the coming months without more budget cuts or tax increases.

But many of the law's provisions have yet to take effect. Dockside gambling and significant tax increases on casinos did not take effect until this month.

Still, the state expected to take in $28.9 million in cigarette taxes last month to reflect a 40-cent-per-pack tax increase that went into effect July 1. Instead, it collected only $9.8 million.

Collections of individual income taxes for July were $54 million, or 18.6 percent, below target. Sales taxes fell short by $9.4 million, or 2.8 percent, and corporate income taxes were $20.6 million, or 62.2 percent, below the revised forecast.

Overall revenue collections were $20.5 million below that collected in July of last year.

The state ended the last fiscal year on June 30 taking in nearly $297 million less than projected. It marked the first time that Indiana finished two consecutive years of negative revenue growth.

[Amerigomag]

I have been waiting for indian gaming in California to exercise their sovereign rights and begin selling cigarettes on their tribal land (which can be anywhere they own property) sans local and state taxes.

[Tomalak]

I am sympathetic to smokers, who seem to be ruthlessly persecuted these days. But I do wonder whether this tax isn't a better way to fund state programmes than income tax and death taxes. So long as other taxes drop, I am open-minded on this one.

---

---

[GOP_Lady]

You're not a true conservative then.

[GOP_Lady]

Very nice comments, FastCoyote -- true logic and kindness. One day, I hope the "food police" come to your home and look for twinkees, potato chips, etc. You should really thank smokers for your income taxes not increasing. I, frankly, am disgusted by the governments taxing certain items/groups, and that includes my fellow GOPers. If the governments need increased or decreased revenues, every taxpayer should be required to pay more in taxes or get refunded taxes. That's the true American way.

[Justanumba]

You're absolutely right! By targeting small groups of people and selecting them for special taxes, Government can get higher taxes than if everyone had to pay. Small groups don't have the voting clout to stop them. And everyone else just says, "Well, at least I'M not paying the tax". Divide and conquer.

[otterpond]

"But the majority of them will shrug their shoulders and pay the tax."

How stupid can they get? I buy online, 5 cartons at a time. I save $40 over the local prices including the shipping. And I'm not in one of those states that has recently increased taxes to exorbitant levels. Yet.

[Madame Dufarge]

Young smokers may be particularly affected by price increases.

Two "youts" knocked over a Cigarette Shopper the other day in Bangor in broad daylight.

Funny how Prohibition causes things like that to happen.

[Gorzaloon]

I hope the police come knocking at your doors soon looking for contraband cigarettes! You guys are all killers of babies and children! Soon, the War on Tobacco, funded with billions of dollars, will get rid of all you scum!

You forgot "Poison wells".