Remember when we all cheered Representative Tony Pires of Rhode Island, chairman of the House Finance Committee?

Boy, were we taken.

Pires' earlier comments posted in this thread under RI GETS THE MESSAGE (5-4-01), included the following: "Smokers are a minority, but that doesn't make it right for the government to tax them unfairly."

Gee, he sure changed his mind in a hurry. How does he explain that all of a sudden he's FOR a cigarette tax hike???? Why, all of a sudden, is it no longer "NOT RIGHT" to unfairly tax smokers???

Among other things, Pires NOW says that "higher tobacco taxes would help pay for the ongoing phase-out of auto excise taxes...."

RI considers tax changes, Providence AP, Rhode Islanders would pay more for cigarettes and less in auto excise taxes under budget proposal unveiled Thursday by a key House panel, 6-15-01

Edit: I am so mad I can't seem to get the link right.


[This message has been edited by Martha Perske (edited 06-19-2001).]

According to Tony Pires' website (he's a DEMOCRAT wouldn't you know it), his email address is: rep-pires@rilin.state.ri.us

His mailing address is: 29 Arland Ave., Pawtucket, RI 02861-1503.