Court places plan to raise Missouri cigarette taxes on November ballot

The Kansas City Star ^ | Sep. 17, 2002 | TIM HOOVER

[KC_Conspirator]

So what happened to all those millions of dollars paid by the cigarette companies to Jay Nixon's MO state AG office that was supposed to pay for health programs answer is that NONE of it went to haelth programs and all it did was go to democrat constituents. This is such a sham I don't know where to begin. Mark my words - this tax money will be spent on welfare programs and other state socialism and is jsut a ploy to pay for those programs since the state is in debt now.

[Just another Joe]

this tax money will be spent on welfare programs and other state socialism and is jsut a ploy to pay for those programs since the state is in debt now.

Then we'll just have to stop the tax from passing.
I've alreday got a newsletter written up to be distributed. I just need to print, copy, and staple it together.
I'll be doing that tonight.

[kcpopps]

More like, "GIVE ME THE MONEY."

or even, "put your hands up and GIVE ME THE MONEY!"

[SheLion]

It’s very easy to slap a so-called “sin tax” on 25-30% of the smokers who in each state who choose to smoke a legal product.

But this tax is not ending up in the state coffers like the lawmakers had hoped. They didn’t realize that we aren’t all sheeple out here and we DO think for ourselves.

The higher taxes on smokers is just forcing the smoker to the Internet, the Reservations or by rolling our own. The lawmakers are scratching their heads trying to figure out how to further CONTROL us and our money.

[kcpopps]

Another irresponsible and greedy move by Missouri legislators was when they recently traded $1 billion in long-term tobacco settlement revenues for $530 million in near term borrowing. Other states have done that too.

They just couldn't wait to spend the court awarded "lottery winnings" as it was paid out - they threw half of it away so they could spend now.

[kcpopps]

The lawmakers are scratching their heads trying to figure out how to further CONTROL us and our money.

In Kansas, you can be arrested for having 200 untaxed cigarettes in your possesion at any time.

KS Smokers - Make sure you smoke one as soon as that carton arrives from the reservation so you only have 199!

[Just another Joe]

What happens with stuff your own cigarettes?
I routinely stuf 300 to 400 at a time. Especially if I'm going to be gone rom home for an extended time.

[kcpopps]

I've wondered about those technicalities too. It seems to me, the way the law is written, is that if they are rolled (200 or more), then you're in violation. Until they are rolled, they are not technically a cigarette, are they? If you only roll 199 at a time, but have enough loose tobacco and tubes for 1000's - I don't think they have covered that yet.

But they are probably working on closing any loopholes.

[Just another Joe]

Do you want me to send you an e-mail copy of the Missouri Special Edition of the newsletter?

[INSENSITIVE GUY]

If you wanna make some real money TAX HEALTH FOOD!Those people are obsessed and crazy and would pay anything.

[waterstraat]

Are there still some fools who pay cigarette taxes and do not buy their cigarettes on the internet?

So many Canadians bypassed the Canadian tax hike a few years ago, that the tax increase was repealed.

[CrossWalker]

What do you expect from a state that elects a dead man?

[Just another Joe]

What do you expect from a state that elects a dead man?

Hopefully we're gonna UNELECT his widder.

[Just another Joe]

Are there still some fools who pay cigarette taxes and do not buy their cigarettes on the internet?

Yes, there are.
They'll be working on the internet vendors next. Wait and see.

[Just another Joe]

You know, kcpopps, that little law makes it,basically, illegal to order cigarettes from outside the country.

It also makes it illegal to operate sting operations using underage people.

[kcpopps]

yeah, I'd like to have a copy of the latest newsletter.
Fire one off when you're ready. Thanks.

[CrossWalker]

AGREED Joe, I will not vote for her even if a horse was the Republican.

[o_zarkman44]

And who gets the money from the taxes? Of course the state!! Now have they really demonstrated that they can fairly administer taxes for the reasons they propose?
NO!
Remember the 1991 gas tax and all the promises that were not delivered on when the State called time out?

Tobacco taxes appear to have replaced the tea taxes levied by England against Americans. What did that tax, and other taxes result in? I believe it was called a Revolution.

I don't smoke, but used to. What I did to my body should be of no concern to anyone but myself. All the worry about raising more money to target anti tobacco ads geared towards children is not a good enough reason. I thought that was covered by the huge lawsuit against big tobacco and the windfall settlement that followed. More money available to the state is like a kid in a candy store with money in pocket. The immediate urge of self gratification is usually fulfilled first.

By the state sanctioning the sale of tobacco in exchange for the tax revenue, they have become marketing partners for the sale of tobacco, so it is in their best interest to continue to collect higher taxes to make up for the gaps in funding pet projects that might otherwise not be met by decreasing tobacco use.

It's all about money and control. Not health. If the state was so worried about public health, they would have an outright ban on tobacco. Then we would find out how much money they are raking in, because they would ask Missourians to approve record tax increases.