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

[SheLion]

I'll thank you to spray no more ad hom attacks or I WILL use the abuse button.
You call names when none are called for and if you want to debate and have a rational discourse you are welcome to do that.
If you want to call names and say things that you cannot back up, then expect the abuse button to be used.

He is SO disgusting. Always bashing and flaming us anytime we post a smoking thread. I, for one, am TIRED of it, Joe!

[SheLion]

At least you aren't a s/he. ;^)

WATCH it!!!!!!!!! I RESEMBLE that remark!!!!!! LOL

[MEGoody]

"So quit!"

That's a great idea. But what will they tax next? They aren't just going to give up the revenue when all the smokers get fed up and quit (or find a non-taxable way to get their smokes). Maybe next time they'll come after you.

[MEGoody]

"The first right is the right to survival."

So I presume you'd be in favor of heavier taxes on alcohol, junk food, fast cars (especially for teens) and the like?

[MEGoody]

"I don't care if you quit or not. You can do it 'till you cough and gag yourself blue, just do it like civilized people with respect for others do with other repulsive things...do it elsewhere."

Is someone blowing smoke up your skirt? Oh, no? Then what are you complaining about? People can't smoke in most public buildings - haven't been able to for a long time. You control who smokes in your home. There are designated smoking and non-smoking areas in those public buildings that DO allow smoking (e.g. restaurants). Where in the world are you FORCED to breathe second hand smoke?

[MEGoody]

Amen!

[Khepera]

I know. My wife tells me that all the time.
Dakmar teases me constantly about being such a babe magnet.
Honestly I think he's jealous.
He just wishes I was helen Thomas so he could kiss me.

I'm just joking Dakmar!!! Yew Jus back oft with dat knife now son!

[SheLion]

He just wishes I was helen Thomas so he could kiss me.

HELEN THOMAS? ewwwwwwwwwwwwwww

Your MUCH better looking the HELEN! Oh God, Barf Alert! LOL

[Great Dane]

#23..... WOW, that's quite a list.

[metesky]

Once upon a time a survey company wanted to find out the nations attitudes towards alcohol and drugs and sex, so they devised a simple questionaire and started making random phone calls. One of the random numbers turned out to be lewislynn.

On question one, whether he'd ever enjoyed alcohol in any form, lewislynn replied, "Tried it once. Didn't like it."

The caller went on to question two, whether he had ever tried any drugs, to which lewislynn replied, "Tried it once. Didn't like it."

The caller then asked how many children lewislynn had, to which he replied, "One."

[SheLion]

#23..... WOW, that's quite a list.

You should go to that site! They have A thru Z!!! And there is a whole LOT of Famous Smokers. Go ck it out.

[SheLion]

The caller then asked how many children lewislynn had, to which he replied, "One."

((((metesky))))

Hey metesky. Welcome back!

That's the most perfect parody for ole lewislynn. What a discussing piece of slim!

[VRWC_minion]

I love smokers. They're so easy to get money from on account of their addiction.

[SheLion]

I love smokers. They're so easy to get money from on account of their addiction.

Why don't you take a long walk off of a short pier, you illerate ---- weed!

Your not going to get much MORE of the smokers money, Dick, because smokers have wised UP! And I DON'T mean by QUITTING!

[Just another Joe]

trolling again, eh?

[SheLion]

trolling again, eh?

lewislynns clone. LOL!

[Just another Joe]

lewislynns clone. LOL!

More like a mini-me. ;^)
VRWC just likes to rile us up. lewislynn really wants us gone.

[Leisler]

”…just do it like civilized people with respect for others do with other repulsive things...do it elsewhere…”

I bet you didn’t build your house, or any dwelling you ever lived in. I bet you can’t do wiring, plumbing nor chance the cv joints in your car. Let alone replace the head gasket. I bet you can’t do a intravenous cutdown, nor build a boat or navigate by the stars. I bet you’re a lousy cook and couldn’t make a decent roué if your life depended upon it. I bet you can’t hunt or fish and have under 5 thousand books in your house. That makes you repulsive. Lastly, if someone’s smoke has your pantywaist little immune system in catastrophic overload, be man enough to ask them if they mind. After a while you’ll find it easier and easier. Perhaps, you might strike up a conversations and finally have a friend.

[SheLion]

VRWC just likes to rile us up. lewislynn really wants us gone.<P? Well, think they would like to kiss my..............ahhh..........patoot???? hehe

[Leisler]

Then you must just love Lenin, Stalin, Pol Pot and Robert Mugabe as they have all induced starvation as a means of increasing state power. You just differ on the path. But then you're not "Bright VRWC minion" are you?