Replies

Let's get to facts. What started the American revolution for the most part...was taxes. Americans simply got tired of constant taxation and began to find ways to beat taxation. It was a case where the government measured the pain level and misjudeged just how far they could tax. In the case of New York, they misjudged the pain level again. And what makes todays situation interesting...is that everything can be moved via US Mail, FEDEX or UPS, and paid for with electronic money. The FEDS nor the state government can really keep up with this whole thing.

What happens may be even more interesting. If 10,000 New Yorkers have switched this quickly to a cheaper delivery system. With a bit of effort, another 40,000 could move in another two years. This starts to add up in tax revenue, something that the neither the city or the state can allow. They will likely have a cigerette import tax imposed as soon as possible and start to punish both the US postal system or FEDEX. In return, the cigerette sales folks will likely start van runs up to New York and personally deliver your 10 cartons of smokes for $10. A van run with 500 cartons could deliver $500 to the lucky driver. If you figure a three-day round-trip...you could find some lucky dimwit who lives in Kentucky and would love to make $2k a month just driving a van of smokes. The bottom line is that state and city screwed up...and they will miss their generous income. Other states better take note of what happened here.

Capitalism and creativity will beat government dogoodism 999 out of a 1,000.

On the taxes, here's a corollary rule. We suffer many more taxes imposed by those for whom we vote, than for some king across the ocean.

"Other states better take note of what happened here."

I bow before you! But I think it's too late. All the Governors across the United States were told to tax the smoker! FIX your budgets! BALANCE your budgets! TAX the smokers, and tell them it's for their own good!

When your too spineless to cut spending, stick it to the smokers, and tell them it's for their own good.