Cigarette tax has smokers fuming

The Times ^ | July 3, 2003 | TRACEY L. REGAN

[Just another Joe]

"Ridiculous! Ridiculous!" fumed Harry Desai, a convenience store owner in Trenton incensed by the latest cigarette tax increase that has the price of some brands he sells soaring to more than $6 a pack.

"They're going to get the business over there," said Desai, the owner of the Robert Lewis Store on State Street, waving vaguely toward Pennsylvania. "I want to go over there myself. I don't blame people."

[Just another Joe]

New Jerseyans withstanding such societal pressures are turning with ever-greater frequency to the Internet and neighboring states, such as Pennsylvania and Delaware, to buy their cigarettes, business groups here say.

Nooooo, inappropriate taxation doesn't hurt business.

[Just another Joe]

Taxes, societal ostracization, hatred - all aimed at demonization of smokers.

[annyokie]

Gee, when I lived in Pennsylvania, we bought our booze in NJ.

Tit for tat, I guess.

[demsux]

I'm in Missouri. Our voters VOTED DOWN a hugh tax increase on smokes...even my non smoker friends voted against it.

Now, "one term" bob holden wants to bypass the voters and "enact" legislation.

Bought a carton of Winston Lights today (w/$3.50 coupon) for just over $19.00.

C'mon over Illinoisians.

[annyokie]

Viceroys here in Ok for $19.25. Marlboros for 24.95.

[Just another Joe]

I'm in Mo. also. I fought against that tax increase.
Spent between $1,000 and $1,500 of my own money in gas and copying costs, not to mention time.

It was close though.

Holden is such a putz.

[Just another Joe]

Stuff my own for about that price using a fairly expensive tobacco, and no coupon.

[Malsua]

Pretty ridiculous. Shrug.

I'm down to about 6 cigs a day, wife down to a pack.

We've been buying them from the Indians for a while now avoiding any NJ taxes.

In fact, I wish the cigarette companies would just raise their hands in a collective "you win" and go out of business.

Watch the anti-smoking nazis scratching their heads when they realize they killed their cash cow.

Watch as NC, VA and other tobacco states fall into economic hard times. No sweat really. The black market will continue to grow as it has done recently and the taxicrats will raise EVERYONE's taxes to compensate. All the anti-smoking nazis will have gotten their wish. They'll end up paying for it! Love it.

[Just another Joe]

Do you live in NJ?

[Malsua]

>>Do you live in NJ? <<

Yes.

[CroftonFreeper]

I just go into Virginia and pay 18.99 a carton (premium Brand) Up north libs suck

[Just another Joe]

Up north libs suck

Libs ANYWHERE suck.

[Just another Joe]

What are you going to do when they start taxing the internet sales?

[TheMom]

A while back I did a bit of research. Here is what I found - in 2001 the total revenue reported to the IRS from tobacco sales was $18,723,895,000.00; $$$ thru the 2nd Quarter of 2002 was $7,985,647,000.00.

[Just another Joe]

Way lower than half for a half a year.
Doesn't surprise me. With more people buying from the net and making thier own it only follows.

[microgood]

"They see no political downside."

Now that we know what they are, we are just haggling over the price.

[Malsua]

>>What are you going to do when they start taxing the internet sales? <<

Who said I buy them on the Internet?

I have and still do on occasion, but I also drive up to the reservation and buy in the shop. It's about an hour away thru pleasant country. It's a nice saturday drive and I can wash the car on the way. Hell, I have a 55-145 minute commute, the hour to the reservation is nothing. I can spend 4 dollars in gas to save $30/pack.

[Malsua]

pack=carton

[RJayneJ]

Long before there were law suits against tobacco, Ohio had much higher taxes than Kentucky, so Ohioan would go across the bridge to get cigs for their family and friends. That didn't last long because they had the police watch for that sort of thing and began arresting people for it. After a hefty fine, it was no longer an attractive way to beat the tax. It could still be done by traveling further into the state but it was still a risk.

[M0sby]

No place around here to go
Internet only for smokers in the Seattle area. 7-11 is about $50.00/carton.