Free Republic

House may vote on 75-cent-per-pack increase in state cigarette tax By AMY F. BAILEY The Associated Press 5/16/2004, 7:54 a.m. ET LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The state House could vote this week to increase the state tax on cigarettes by 75 cents a pack. It's the second time Republican House Speaker Rick Johnson of LeRoy has hinted that the chamber could take up legislation imposing the $2-per-pack tax. He said he decided against holding a vote on the bill last week after support from Democrats appeared unclear. Bills need 55 votes to win approval in the 110-member House, rather than...

Senate panel rejects 30-cent hike in Tenn. cigarette tax House committee votes today on 1-cent sales levy increase By Paula Wade wade@gomemphis.com NASHVILLE - The Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday rejected a proposed 30-cent increase in the state's cigarette tax, with members claiming the measure is a quot;piecemealquot; approach to the state's budget problems. The panel's counterpart, the House Finance Committee, on Tuesday postponed until today a vote on a 1-cent sales tax increase that won approval from the full Senate Monday. Sen. Rosalind Kurita (D-Clarksville), who proposed the tobacco tax increase to discourage smoking, said the committee's refusal to...