[SheLion]

I have some more states. Let me know which ones your interested in.

[goldstategop]

Hmm, why is California having a budget deficit then? The Rats naturally proposed increase taxes on smokers to close up the gap.

[Looking for Diogenes]

Total packs sold = 1,270,376,000

Sales taxes paid = packs sold multiplied by sales tax rate (7.25% or $.27 per pack).

Number of smokers (4,235,446)

From these numbers we can calculate that the average pack costs $3.60. And that, with sales tax, California smokers spent $4,916,355,120.00 on cigarettes, or almost $5 billion.

Dividing by the (estimated) number of smokers shows us that the average smoker spends $1,161 on cigarettes each year, inclusive of taxes.

FYI, purchasers of loose tobacco pay neither the settlement costs nor the excise tax, only the sales tax (on a lower priced product). Roll your own and avoid taxes!

[Saundra Duffy]

What is wrong with this picture?

[lewislynn]

Here is what they already pay because they choose to buy a legal product:

Truly a voluntary tax.