Tobacco tax going up (Florida)

Cape Coral DB ^ | MCKENZIE CASSIDY

[Drango]

the legislation will prevent 300,000 teenagers from picking up a cigarette.

Good job Florida!

[driftdiver]

“He said the legislation will prevent 300,000 teenagers from picking up a cigarette. “

Sounds like more BO propaganda to me. Why not just make it a million teenagers or maybe 10 million.

Just another Crist lie.

[Venturer]

I wish everyone wouldjust stop smoking and let the government find something else to tax. Like Big Macs or Candy bars. Then after they are taxed to death we could find something else.

It’s about the money they could care less about smokers.

[wombtotomb]

I guess I have to choose between my credit card payments and cigarettes now. Guess who will win.....

[DJ MacWoW]

It's all about money. If we have ANY, they want it.

US considering tax on fizzy drinks to fund health reforms

[wombtotomb]

State Sen. Ted Deutch, D-Boca Raton, introduced the legislation into the 2009 session. He said the legislation will prevent 300,000 teenagers from picking up a cigarette.

If I can prove I am not a teen, would you exempt me? NO? Oh, I guess its not about the kids not lighting up then. First they came for the smokers, but I wasn’t one, so I said nothing. Next, they came for drinkers, but I didn’t drink so I said nothing. Next, they came for sugar and fat laden foods, but I consume neither, so I said nothing. Don’t fret none, they will find your thing, and there will be no one left to say anything.

[cripplecreek]

Lets tax fascism and see how fast the anti smoking nazis start screaming.

[Drango]

If I can prove I am not a teen, would you exempt me? NO?

Bummer dude!

[DJ MacWoW]

300,000 teenagers? Where do they get these figures? Do teens register before trying one? Lefty’s are such idiots.

[MaxMax]

My answer to rising Tobacco taxes. Shove it Gov!

[Centurion2000]

I quit March 8th ... to hell with feeding the leviathan with S-CHIP revenue.

My cardio performance is WAY up btw. :)

[cripplecreek]

We’ll have to raid your property and take the plants away from you. You never know when some kids might walk by and become addicted.

[Glenn]

Good job Florida!

They didn't even have the balls to call it a tax.

[Drango]

It’s a tax...The results are the same...

[Waco]

A carton of Marlboro is now about 36 bucks in Ga. now,,,yoall come on up, Ga will love your business.

[richardtavor]

You are correct: “The measure is designed to combat teenage smoking and incidences of cancer associated with smoking”—It is designed to bring in income for the government, nothing else. As the smoking pool shrinks, they feel that they must raise taxes to offset the lost revenue. The last poor individuals will have to pay $200 per pack...

[DJ MacWoW]

"We must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt. We must make our selection between economy and liberty or profusion and servitude. If we run into such debts as that we must be taxed in our meat in our drink, in our necessities and comforts, in our labors and in our amusements, for our callings and our creeds...our people.. must come to labor sixteen hours in the twenty-four, give earnings of fifteen of these to the government for their debts and daily expenses; and the sixteenth being insufficient to afford us bread, we must live.. We have not time to think, no means of calling the mis-managers to account, but be glad to obtain subsistence by hiring ourselves to rivet their chains on the necks of our fellow suffers. Our landholders, too...retaining indeed the title and stewardship of estates called theirs, but held really in trust for the treasury, must...be contented with penury, obscurity and exile.. private fortunes are destroyed by public as well as by private extravagance.

This is the tendency of all human governments. A departure from principle becomes a precedent for a second; that second for a third; and so on, till the bulk of society is reduced to mere automatons of misery, to have no sensibilities left but for sinning and suffering... And the fore horse of this frightful team is public debt. Taxation follows that, and in it's train wretchedness and oppression." Thomas Jefferson

"Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is argument of tyrants. It is the creed of slaves." William Pitt in the House of Commons November 18, 1783

[Drango]

Civilization cannot survive with twelve-year-olds having babies, fifteen-year-olds shooting one another, seventeen-year-olds dying of AIDS, and eighteen-year-olds graduating with diplomas they cannot read.- Newt Gingrich (1997)

[FlingWingFlyer]

The measure is designed to combat teenage smoking and incidences of cancer associated with smoking...

Anyone who believes that is a real dumbass. I've got a bridge in Brooklyn I'd like to sell to them.

This is all about money. Money for the Commies in the government and nothing more.

If these maggots were serious about "combating teenage smoke and incidences of cancer", THEY WOULD BAN TOBACCO! Sadly, they need the revenue from tobacco taxes to fund their Communist state freeloader programs that continue to get them elected.

[Iron Munro]

Crist repeatedly promised no new taxes or tax increases during his campaign for Governor. Additionally, he signed a "No Tax" pledge only a few weeks before he signed this tax increase and others into law.

His word on no tax increases is as good as Obama's

Gov. Crist Signs $66.5 Billion Budget, Breaks Tax Pledge

May 28, 2009

"Breaking a pledge against raising taxes, Gov. Charlie Crist signed Florida's $66.5 billion budget into law Wednesday and barely used his veto pen.

Also, the budget includes $2.2 billion in new fees and taxes. Much of the new revenue comes from a $1-a-pack cigarette tax and higher fees on driving licenses and motor vehicle tags. Those who use the court system, visit state parks and even those who fish from beaches and bridges will pay more in fees.

The cigarette tax and most of the fees go into effect July 1.

Crist, who had repeatedly promised not to raise taxes, said Wednesday that the budget does not include "broad-based tax increases'' — even though fees for the 15.6 million Florida driver licenses and 18.8 million registered vehicles will rise."