What a surprise!
Geesh--I think a pack of cigs. is well over $6.80 here in Phoenix.
If GWB poured more money in education in his first year than all of eight years of Clinton combined, just where did all this money go?
I think I know the answer.
And now they need more.
And smokers could legitimately tell non-smokers that they hate children and don't want them to get a good education. If they cared about children, they would start smoking. Several packs a day!
I'm ready to give in to the anti-smokers and let them have their psychotic robbery of smokers. On one condition : I want food charged by the calorie. Let's distribute some of this socialist fun to the overeaters. I can't count how many fat people have fake coughed around me when I was smoking OUTDOORS in high wind. As if they care about their health.
I guess the "Tennessee Education Lottery" isn't holding up it's end of the bargain? More likely the State is just pissing that money away, as they will this "new revenue".
I live in TN. My FIL works for a TBR Tech Center here in the state, and tried to explain to me why the lottery didn't do jack for students but he's not the best in the world at explaining government stuff, so I never got it. Is there a FReeper that can explain it. Not trying to hijack the thread, I believe whatever the state did with lottery funds they will do the same thing with this money.
Only $15 million for anti-smoking education? If they're going to take more money from smokers, it really ought to be for things to benefit smokers, like programs to help them quit, or for research or treatment of smoking-related diseases such as lung cancer. Or to prevent kids from starting to smoke. (I gather it is more addictive if you start smoking in your early teens instead of later on in life.)
Oh my heavens. Liberals must have never heard of the "LAW OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES". Go on a misguided plan to stop smoking and suffer from lower/no tax revenue. Then what will we tax? Don't worry the politicians will always find a new tax.
Of course, he wants it for "EDUCATION", it's the only way to pass this onerous tax increase. There is no doubt in my mind that this tax increase will be spent on "SOCIAL PROGRAMS."
Oh my heavens. Liberals must have never heard of the "LAW OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES". Go on a misguided plan to stop smoking and suffer from lower/no tax revenue. Then what will we tax? Don't worry the politicians will always find a new tax.
Of course, he wants it for "EDUCATION", it's the only way to pass this onerous tax increase. There is no doubt in my mind that this tax increase will be spent on "SOCIAL PROGRAMS."
Because ONLY cigarette smokers have children, dontcha know.
And, of course nearly all the money will be used for education. Educating the newer politicians how to move money into the general fund and take it out in pork.
South Dakota voters voted in a $1 tax per pack increase in the November election. Our Legislature is now planning to use the "extra" revenue to fund education and emergency preparedness for the bird flu and make up any shortfall in the budget. Trouble is what will happen if, as the tax intends, people quit smoking? Obviously there are some basic economics missing.
well there's $120 mill down the drain.