RHODE ISLAND SMOKERS' CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE STATE ECONOMY 2001

2 September 2002

[SheLion]

RHODE ISLAND SMOKERS' CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE STATE ECONOMY 2001  

Rhode Island smokers comprise only 23.5% of the adult population in the state. Here is what they already pay because they choose to buy a legal product:

• Smokers Pay Excise Taxes $ 67,580,560
• Smokers Pay Sales Taxes $ 21,455,280
• Smokers Pay Tobacco Settlement Payments $ 44,500,000

                                                                                              $133,535,840

Smokers’ Economic/Tax Profile

• Income
  • Rhode Island smokers’ median income 2000 $28,154
• Median Income Smoker Rhode Island State Tax Liability
  • Annual state income tax liability for a couple $589
  • Annual state income tax liability for a couple with two children $364

• Smoker Excise Tax/Sales Tax/Tobacco Settlement Payments Liability
  • Total average paid per Rhode Island smoker in excise and sales taxes $473
  • Price per Rhode Island smoker for settlement payments to Rhode Island $236

Total annual payment to Rhode Island per smoker $709

Rhode Island Smoker Facts

• Rhode Island smoker payments in 2001 were more than fourteen times as large as state excise taxes of $9.2 million on alcoholic beverages.
• Rhode Island smoker payments in 2001 were more than 58% larger than total corporate net income tax revenues paid by Rhode Island corporations ($84.3 million).
• In 2001, Rhode Island smoker payments were greater than Rhode Island motor fuels taxes of $118.9 million.
• Rhode Island smoker payments could have paid for FY2001 spending for:

• The Department of Health ($84 million)
• Disease Prevention and Control ($5 million)
• The State Police ($37.7 million)
• Environmental Management ($52.7 million)
• Veterans ($12.4 million)

• In 1997, smokers supported 1,484 jobs that paid an additional $1,824,905 in state and local personal income and corporate taxes.

CIGARETTES DON’T PAY TAXES – RHODE ISLAND SMOKERS DO!!

Rhode Island Data Sources

Total Packs sold = 799,464,000 (Orzechowski & Walker Tax Burden On Tobacco 2001 from Rhode Island Department of Revenue)

Excise Taxes Paid = Orzechowski & Walker Tax Burden On Tobacco 2001 from Rhode Island Department of Revenue packs sold

Sales Taxes Paid= packs sold multiplied by sales tax rate (7% or $.27 per pack)

Settlement payment amount (Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids)

Number of smokers (188,215)= Census Bureau 2000 Rhode Island 18+ population (1,046,319) multiplied by CDC’s 2000 percent of adults who are smokers (23.5)

Total paid per smoker excise & sales taxes = total excise and sales taxes paid (89,035,840) divided by number of smokers (188,215)

Total paid per smoker for settlement payments = settlement payments amount divided by number of smokers

Smokers’ median income per CDC’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System 2000, public use data

State annual income tax liability from PayBreeze software of General Programming, Inc., San Jose, California, which utilizes the Exact Calculation Method

Smoker facts from Rhode Island State Budget Office, FY 2002 Budget as Enacted, p. 17-18, Online at

http://www.budget.state.ri.us/

Jobs created and personal/corporate income tax paid from Economic Impact of Tobacco 1997

[VRWC_minion]

It's called a DU agitator. Anyone who can be "easily trained/conditioned" is unable to think for themselves nor function independently

I have been self employed for 15 years. There goes that theory.

[Great Dane]

.This is worse than a 4th grade chat room.

And yet, you keep showing up.

[Gabz]

Everytime someone does something he or she or it doesn't like, even if it's 10 states away from him/her/it, they call the Federal government to protect them.

You are not very far from the truth here.

During the the push for Delaware's smoking ban this past spring the sponsor of the measure was in close contact with arch creep anti-smoker guru Stanton Glantz in Kookiefornia and with Joe (gays should be able to adopt) Cherner in New York.

Senator McBride actually made the mistake of including SheLion in his emailing to other senators with some of his information from Glantz. And Cherner copied his correspondence with McBride to all the members of his merry band of antis, which of course eventually ended up in the hands of several smokers.

So yes, anti-smokers will go to the ends of the country in order to get their way.

[Nuke'm Glowing]

"I have been self employed for 15 years. There goes that theory."

Hmmm, there's not that much money in collecting aluminum cans any more so are you just using the term "self-employed" to cover for printing up your own welfare checks?

[Nuke'm Glowing]

Vegans don't smoke. They are like you, they believe in the right to control other's lives.

[Nuke'm Glowing]

They are already down here in Florida trying the same crap during this election. If they win, it will be a hollow victory. Many of the finer restraunts and bars will become private clubs, no longer open to the public and by invitation and membership fee only. So non-smokers will be locked out. They would accomplish zero then, except to whine about private clubs.

[F16Fighter]

"And yet, you keep showing up."

This is exactly the second time I've "shown up" on one of these adolescently doofy 4th grade chatroom smoke-fest threads. Actually I'm surprised you humor it's IQ-challenged hostess with your presense.

[Nuke'm Glowing]

"This is exactly the second time I've "shown up" on one of these adolescently doofy 4th grade chatroom smoke-fest threads."

That's twice more than needed.

[Gabz]

There are no "private clubs" in Delaware. I can not rent out a local restaurant for a private party unless the rest of the premises are still open to the public. Same holds true for bars and taverns. It's the way the liquor laws are written here.

The only exceptions to the smoking ban are for fraternal groups (Moose, Elks, etc) and volunteer fire companies when their premises are being used for charitable fund raising functions or being rented out for private parties.

Holiday party reservations have already started to tank for restaurants all over the state and some of the Moose and Elks Lodges are already completely booked for the entire holiday season.

The smoking ban takes effect 2 days before Thanksgiving. Out door patios and decks don't work well in the winter in Delaware.

A friend of mine is president of the local Elks Lodge - he said they have had record numbers of membership applications in the past 2 months. so has a Moose Lodge where a friend of mine is bartender.

[Nuke'm Glowing]

Actually what is going to happen is the bars and restraunts that are "public" facilities now, will re-file their paperwork and go private. It's doable, tricky, but 100% legal. This will not open up the restraunts and bars to the non-smoking whiners anymore. If you want to go there, you have to tolerate smokers. If you don't like it, you won't get let in. I like this option in a way, because it keeps out the trash.

[F16Fighter]

Carry on by all means without me -- AND remember...

NO running in the halls, NO chewing gum in class, and IF you're good, Barney will make a special appearance on this thread.

[Gabz]

I thought amendment 6 exempted free standing bars?

[VRWC_minion]

They are like you, they believe in the right to control other's lives.

Never said that. All I said is that i am greatful that smokers are so addicted they will continue to pay the tax rather than modify their behavior or even confront the politico's when they raise taxes on them. Smokers are good little citizens and well controlled on account of their addiction.

[Nuke'm Glowing]

Unfortunately, most bars are required to sell food to obtain a liquor liscense in most Florida counties. This requirement is a leftover Blue law for a bar to open on Sunday. It's a major catch 22, and will complicate things greatly, but most of the older bars (which still serve food) will discontinue serving food or just go private. It's ugly down here. And when the publicity for this initiative hits the fan, you'll see a real nasty war break out on the airwaves.

[Nuke'm Glowing]

You're not Barney? I keep forgetting, you're that Teletubbie those genetically challenged individuals are fond of. Have a nice day.

[Nuke'm Glowing]

But you do believe in banning smoking in restraunts correct?

I have no problem with smokers either. It's a free choice. And it's the only way we can tax the poor.

[Gabz]

I understand the Blue Laws - we've got even worse ones here - no liquor sales on sunday, except in restaurants and no beer or wine in supermarkets, etc.

Are you familiar with the non-smoker who has registered as a PAC to seek donations in order to get money for advertising against the amendment?????

[F16Fighter]

"PS : F16Fighter........my hubby is a Viet Nam Vet......Army ground pounder! He smokes and finds the anti-smokers totally disgusting."

Hold on....I'll be hunkered down in an underground bunker at an undetermined location somewhere in North America sipping chamomille tea and reading 'The Last Days of The Third Reich'...

[Nuke'm Glowing]

Yes, but I'm aligning myself with the General, Cigar Dave and the gang. There is a real sense of anger building in Ybor City where the cigar industry is still very large and has a lot of influence. If those restraunts that have cigar bars are banned, it will kill them, as that is where many of the powerful and elite hang out. I can see them going private and quickly, to keep the trash out.