NY State is about to pass a budget which raises taxes on cigarettes by $1.50 a pack. That's around $525 per year for a "pack-a-day" smoker. This tax hits the poorest among us much harder. I also want to point out that the government will be making almost twice as much off of every pack of cigs than the tobacco companies do. They are actually the "senior partner" in the smoking business. They license the product, and reap most of the profits, without producing any benefit for the citizens of the state. I don't know why people are permitted to sue tobacco companies, but not the real culprits profiting from smokers' suffering.
Everyone should know that, thanks to widespread fraud in the NYS food stamp program, pretty much any small bodega will accept food stamps for unauthorized items, like cigarettes. They give you 50-70 cents on the dollar, so poor people will be paying even more for their cigs, and it will be coming from state coffers, as well as feeding state coffers.
recommend this
email
print
link to this page
Comments: 29
So, I'm sorry, but I have no problem with raising taxes on cigarettes. If you want to kill yourself, you have to pay for it. I mean, even those illegal drugs cost an arm and a leg. Think about all the health care costs that come out of OUR tax payers pockets, due to smoking, from people who will not or can not afford to pay for their own doctor/hospital visits. That's how I think about it. They are paying taxes and at some point it's going to trickle down so us non-smokers don't have to pay for the medical costs from the damage they do to themselves. They can pay for it themselves, ahead of time, by paying the taxes.
But that's just my 2-cents.
If you really want to get rid of taxes read Invisible Hand which shows how we can realistically get rid of all taxes forever. Or you can ignore it and go on paying taxes.
Perhaps they need to quit smoking then, I am sure that liberals and conservatives alike are footing the bill for that poor person's ill health, exacerbated by smoking.
As one who smoked for twenty years and was up to three packs a day, I have to say that this is one tax no one has to pay if they choose not to. I was once in the "poor" category and can assure you that smokes would never stand between me and my children's food!
I know, people are "addicted" to cigarettes and "can't" quit. I don't buy that one for a minute. My dad smoked from the time he was 14 till he was 90. He had no problem doing without them then.
Largely, people are sold a bill of gods on smoking and have been brainwashed into believing they "can't" quit. But the can and the only requirement is that the honestly want to, not that someone wants them to or that society wants them to quit. They must want to.
Any store who dispenses cigarettes for food stamps should and, sooner or later will, have their ability to accept food stamps taken away.
I wish all my taxes were this voluntary!
And if it means that the air I have to breathe gets a little cleaner as a result, so much the better.
That's why many of the poor are poor, because after they see what the liberals take out of their paychecks, they figure it's not worth working. After all, they can get a home, food, and health care from liberal government programs if they are poor, but not if they're working. So, NY is really doing the poor a favor.
I hope that explains why the NY cigarette tax is a good thing. If you still don't get it, just ask Client #9, and he will explain it to you. ROTFLMAO
I dont feel the fairness in the government getting into our lives. I think it should be your choice whether or not to smoke. There are several other reasons insurance costs so much. I mean, if you start on smokers, lets do it to the drinkers too. This is only fair, after all, look at how many lives drinking has destroyed. Look at the diseases associated to drinking , how many lives have been lost to drunk drivers, look at the families who have done without due to the money going toward drinking.
Gambling, is another serious problem, obesity is another killer. So where does it all end? Staying out of peoples lives....
And what about talking on cell phones while in the checkout line at Wal-Mart?
No one who has ever stood in the checkout line at Wal-Mart would deny any other the privilege of talking on their cell phone in the 45 minutes they have to spare!
James, I'm also sorry to say that the state has nowhere near the manpower to crack down on food stamp abuse. People trade food stamps for crack money, something which I have done myself, in the past. I'm not asking for sympathy for smokers. I'm asking people to get angry at the government, which is squeezing people with this most regressive of taxes. I don't think the government should be in the cigarette business, or the health care business.
This is stupid, but smokers can beat this. All you have to do is buy your own bulk tobacco, and roll your own cigarettes, and smoke til your lungs give out while not paying taxes on it!!!
Just imagine the tax revenues if they introduced pot cigarettes!!!
You are right! Michigan was going to institute a 4% business tax last year, and escort services were among those to be taxed!!! Damn, now I have to pay my hookers a tax!!! Give me a break!! ~laugh~ Among others to be targeted were baby shoe bronzing? Shoe shining? all the big industries we have here!!!
Seriously, though. This state budget also includes a tax on internet sales, another Spitzer idea that was shot down just before Christmas shopping season, last year. My point is that the NYS government is still run by money grubbing, tax and spend liberals, who are juicing everyone to fund their corrupt government giveaways to a select few.
I don't believe in social engineering with taxes, on that I agree with you. However, to me, the thought of a tax that I pay because I want to instead of because I have to, sounds good.
Why do you blame it all on liberals? I'll be there were a number of conservative and even more centrists voted for it, or it would not have passed. I've found, on the whole, that conservatives are the first to try to control the behavior of others through legislation. That doesn't mean they feel bound by anything, just look at Larry Craig, our senator.
Also, "sin taxing" is not a good idea. Who's so perfect that they can tell someone that what they are doing is a sin? And, most importantly, who defines what a "sin" is? And for those of you who like "sin taxing" what are you going to do when some government official says that something you do is a "sin?"
Don't look down on people who smoke. Not one of us is perfect. If you don't smoke then good for you but do not take a holier than thou attitude towards people who do.