Tax: OH Cigarette tax increase for arts program
Posted on Wednesday, November 08 @ 08:45:49 EST by samantha
Cigarette tax for arts approved in Cleveland and suburbs
Voters in Cleveland and its Cuyahoga County suburbs voted Tuesday to approve a 30-cent tax increase on a pack of cigarettes to help arts and culture.
Smoker's tax dollars increase TO SUPPORT THE ARTS??? LOL How rich!
And I thought Ohio wanted Smoke FREE. How on earth could their ARTS program survive without the smokers keeping their sorry butts above water???!!!
11/8/06
CLEVELAND - Voters in Cleveland and its Cuyahoga County suburbs voted Tuesday to approve a 30-cent tax increase on a pack of cigarettes to help arts and culture.
The campaign pitted patrons of the arts, including the well-heeled Cleveland Orchestra and Cleveland Museum of Art, against smokers, big tobacco and cigarette outlets.
Backers said the tax would raise about $20 million annually for 10 years and raise the state and local taxes on cigarettes sold in the county to $1.59 1/2 a pack. A portion of the current tax has been used to help finance Cleveland sports venues.
The new portion of the tax would be split among museums and performing arts companies and, backers said, would protect the city's cultural heritage. Opponents said the tax unfairly targeted a segment of the community and would drive cigarette sales out of the county.
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Arts-and-culture tax apparently victorious
November 08, 2006
Carolyn Jack, Cleveland Plain Dealer Arts Reporter
Results were far from final by press time this morning, but backers of Issue 18 remained hopeful that an early lead indicated victory.
Issue 18 was passing at 12:20 a.m. today with 620 precincts out of 1,434 reporting.
The issue would raise the county tax on cigarettes by 1.5 cents per cigarette, generating $20 million per year for 20 years to support arts and culture.
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Hey, SheLion, I know this is an old story, but you will get a kick out of this. I work at a law firm in downtown Cleveland and was filling in for the secretary of an attorney who was the chair of this campaign. I saw papers on his desk for an off-site meeting for this. I asked him what was being proposed to pay for this. He looked at me and said in a somewhat embarrassing way as if sayng what else, “a 30 cent tax on a pack of cigarettes.” LOL. I just gave him “the look.”
AND ANOTHER THING...he was at an off-site meeting, and guess who’s office called? SHERROD BROWN’s. LOLOLOLOLOLOL.