The New Hamshire Ways and Means Commitee is looking to "temporarily" raise taxes on tobacco products as a way of raising money to fund schools. First of all, we all know what "temporary tax" means; it means that there will be a temporary furor over it, but people will forget about it - then it will never go back down.
Secondly, existing tobacco taxes (currently at 52 cents/pack) are used for education purposes (not tobacco awareness education, everyday education).
So, myself and WS, who both smoke (not proud of that, it's just a fact), and also have no kids, will spend even more for educating someone else's kids if the measure passes. I don't bitch about paying my fair share of the town's school costs thru property taxes. But if the premise is that everyone should pay for education (which would be why I pay school taxes thru the property tax), then that should mean everyone - not that smokers (or yacht owners or mink coat owners) take up the extra burden when things get tight.
Hopefully Governor Benson will veto the measure. If not, then we all know that his "no tax increases pledge" is only for certain people and not for those that engage in politically incorrect, but legal, activities.
...as a non-smoker I'm all for tax increases on cigarettes :^)...but here in ingerland all the tax increases go to the national health service...here we don't pay for medical care - so the idea that cigarettes pay for some of the health service has a certain *niceness*, much more nice than education(?)...I can see your point...incidently a apack of 20 over here costs about £5 - or nearly $9...does that change your mind :^)...
Posted by: billy | April 28, 2004 at 02:34 PM
I wouldn't mind the increases so much if the revenue was to be used for health resources or tobacco awareness - but education really burns me.
Posted by: bogie | April 29, 2004 at 07:54 AM