Oregonians to Vote on Cigarette Tax Hike, School Aid Increase

AT&T Internet News Service ^ | 16 September 2002 | BRAD CAIN

[SheLion]

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - Oregon residents are voting this week on a cigarette tax increase and a boost in school aid in an effort to stem the state's budget problems.

Votes will be tallied Tuesday for a measure that would raise the cigarette tax by 60 cents and another that would take $150 million from a Lottery-fed education endowment fund to shore up state school aid. Neither measure faces organized opposition.

Under the cigarette-tax proposal, the levy on a pack of cigarettes would increase from 68 cents to $1.28 and generate about $70 million. Most of the money would go to the state's health plan for low-income residents. If the measure fails, the health plan funding would be cut by $70 million.

Eighteen other states already have raised cigarette taxes this year to help balance their budgets in the midst of the nation's economic slump.

The tobacco industry decided not to launch a major advertising campaign against the tax increase because the measure is widely expected to pass.

The other proposal on Tuesday's ballot would give schools $150 million from an education fund in order to cover a cut lawmakers approved earlier this year to balance the budget. If the measure fails, that budget cut will stand.

Oregon is facing a $482 million budget shortfall, which will not be affected if the measures pass.

All Oregon elections are conducted by mail, but voters may leave ballots in designated drop-sites by Tuesday evening.

[SheLion]

Something funny going on here with this.  Oregon is one of 46 states in the pocket of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation which is hooked up with the American Medical Association.

The higher the bans, control, restrictions and higher taxes the state imposes on smokers, the bigger the grant money the state will receive from the RWJ Foundation!

"Most of the money would go to the state's health plan for low-income residents. If the measure fails, the health plan funding would be cut by $70 million"

"Cut by $70 million!"  Cut by whom?  The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation because Oregon hasn't been slicing the throats of their smokers fast enough?

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation          then click on Tobacco

• Oregon Health and Science University
  Portland,OR
  Disseminating models for comprehensive statewide tobacco cessation programs  
  9 months, ending 06/30/03   $277,820   ID#044825

• Oregon Pacific Research Institute
  Eugene,OR
  Surveying changes in spit tobacco use among Major and Minor League Baseball players  
  9 months, ending 09/14/02   $97,611   ID#044095

• Oregon Pacific Research Institute
  Eugene,OR
  Promoting tobacco cessation through managed care dental providers  
  3 years, ending 05/31/03   $315,240   ID#038987

• Oregon State University
  Corvallis,OR
  Maternal interventions to stop smoking  
  4 years, ending 09/30/04   $852,684   ID#040669

• State of Oregon Department of Human Resources, Health Division
  Portland,OR
  Evaluation of a statewide collaboration of managed health plans to address tobacco cessation  
  55 months, ending 03/31/03   $332,185   ID#034190

Is anybody listening?  Is anybody reading what is happening to our states?  Look at the above and look at the money that Oregon is already receiving from the RWJ Foundation PLUS the Tobacco Settlement Money!  IS ANYBODY LISTENING???

[SheLion]

Any Oregon Freepers in here? More smokers rights being trampled on! Seems that the smokers just don't care. This pains me so much!

[Just another Joe]

Oregon residents are voting this week on a cigarette tax increase and a boost in school aid in an effort to stem the state's budget problems.
Neither measure faces organized opposition.
Eighteen other states already have raised cigarette taxes this year to help balance their budgets in the midst of the nation's economic slump.

Budget problems? Smokers? No organized opposition?
Yet the tobacco company ALWAYS has shills. Right?
You know She, I had a thought.
Let's LET the states balance their budgets on the backs of smokers. Then when they're dependant on us - we get EVERYONE to start buying on the internet from overseas or stuffing their own.
The states will go bankrupt and we'll be able to BUY our own state.

[hoot2]

"The tobacco industry decided not to launch a major advertising campaign against the tax increase because the measure is widely expected to pass. "

"Let's LET the states balance their budgets on the backs of smokers. Then when they're dependant on us -
we get EVERYONE to start buying on the internet from overseas or stuffing their own. "

rjreynolds should "sell t-shirts", n give the smokes away with the shirts...everyone needs shirts

[nbruce]

i voted NO on both!

[brat]

Go to yesmoke.com and purchase there. I get my Camel 100's for $14.95! They come from Switzerland and are reliable. The shipping times are dicey tho....make sure to order early and often to assure a smooth transition. I've had no problems other than that.

[Just another Joe]

Both SheLion and I stuff our own cigs. She uses a tobacco that costs a little less than I do and makes hers for about $8.00 a carton. I make my own for about $18.00 a carton but it would be less if I could find my tobacco in bulk. As it is I have to buy my favourite tobacco by the pouch.

[Just another Joe]

i voted NO on both!

Thanks. We appreciate a person who values their libertys and has some economic sense.

[SheLion]

The states will go bankrupt and we'll be able to BUY our own state.

Joe, we had a storm move in and I had to sign-off right after I posted this last night.

But is anybody LISTENING??? HELLO!! It makes me absolutely sick to think of how many sheeple we have living in the United States! Smoker or non-smoker!

The coalitions moved in like the thief in the night, and before we knew it, we were hit right between the eyes with the war on the smoker…..obesity……pop in schools, SUV’s, you name it.

I know I am preaching to the choir, but Joe! People in the United States have to wake up. This is going way beyond just ‘hating the smoker’ issue!

You figure: what with the MSA that the smokers pay for by way of cigarette taxes, then all the grant money also being fed into the states by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for a bigger war on the smokers…………!

I’m worn out, Joe.

[SheLion]

i voted NO on both!

Oregon has been pretty quiet of late. I have been wondering what is going on up there!

"They" have been working behind closed doors, I see. I'll tell you what: the person that came up with the idea on the War on the Smokers died a billionaire!

But if it's that Attorney General who led his group to take Big Tobacco to their knees, then he is still around. Probably retired a rich fat cow by now.

Thank you for voting "no." Americans have to start telling Big Government NO NO NO! We aren't going to take it anymore!

[SheLion]

Just say NO to your state government! Buy cheap! It's your civil duty!

and

Smokers United

[Gabz]

Morning, SL - sorry I missed this last night.

I think the RWJ Foundation map is a bit off - the state of Delaware is getting buckets of money from them for anti-smoker work.

[SheLion]

I think the RWJ Foundation map is a bit off - the state of Delaware is getting buckets of money from them for anti-smoker work.

On my site, where the complete link resides, two more states have been added to the RWJ Foundation's pocket. Which is Hawaii and Delaware.

Along with the District of Columbia, SmokeLess States grantees are active in the following states: Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

44 states, not 46.

[justshe]

Damn.......wish I could find my brand (Carlton 100's in the box) that cheap!

[Gabz]

No criticism was aimed at you SheLion - it was all totally directed at the underhandedness of the RWJF.

They've been giving money to Delaware for YEARS - it's called the IMPACT Coalition here. These people make me sick.

Just the other day there was a PSA on the radio, which I have not seen again and so am having trouble tracking down, that stated that the State has contracted with the Lung Association to do some kind of study about smoking. More wasted tax dollars.

What irks me most is that Delaware has been listed in the top 10 of the most densely populated and industrialized places - and their answer to cancer problems in Delaware is to ban smoking in "public" places. someone needs to get a grip.

[blackie]

My Wife and I are non-smoker's and we voted "NO" on both issues.

The cig tax will pass because 80% of Oregonian's don't smoke.

It's time to harvest Federal and State timber for jobs and revenue !!

Cut Taxes And Cut Spending !!

Death To all Tyrant's !!

The Second Amendment...
America's Original Homeland Security !!

Molon Labe !!

[SheLion]

What irks me most is that Delaware has been listed in the top 10 of the most densely populated and industrialized places - and their answer to cancer problems in Delaware is to ban smoking in "public" places. someone needs to get a grip.

Oh! Without a doubt! It's amazing to me how 55 million people can just sit back and continually take it like this. The Tobacco Settlement that smokers pay for 100% with cigarette taxes, PLUS the RWJ Foundation working with the Butt Ugly American Medical Association is just mind boggling. I am totally TOTALLY fed up with the sheeple in this Country!

Everyone just carries on their own little lives in their own little bubbles and as long as nothing touches THEM, all remains good. Well, people better pop their bubbles because if THEY don't, the Government soon will.

I'm just frustrated, Sis. What is that old song? "Show me the way to go home..........."

[SheLion]

The cig tax will pass because 80% of Oregonian's don't smoke.

That's about right with every state. You take 1 out of 4 people who choose to smoke a legal product, your figures are right.

So, when it comes to polls about raising cigarette taxes, and everyone votes, of course it looks like we are outnumbered, because we are.

So, if we are so outnumbered, then why is the state picking on 1 out of 4 people who choose to smoke? How does the state feel that 25-30% of the state is going to be able to support everyone?! Sounds too partial to me.....

[Iconoclast2]

But 25-30% of the population can and do "support everyone". Productivity is so high that the majority need not work at all, or be taxed at all. They're just realizing it very slowly.

[Great Dane]

I know I am preaching to the choir, but Joe! People in the United States have to wake up. This is going way beyond just ‘hating the smoker’ issue!

Hi she, you obviously haven't heard the last one from California yet, they want to make it mandatory to sell only coffee beans which are environment friendly and fair wage friendly....... they were allowed a free hand with smokers, so now they are gunning for everybody, and still nobody attempt to stop them.