Our outgoing Governor Graves, has proposed, raising the cigarette tax from, 24 cents to 89 cents a pack ... it was last raised in 1988 ... like many state's this year Kansas has a budget shortfall. He has covered himself, with the usual anti propaganda ... but, everyone know's it's about money ... and whom get's the tab ... the media has not given the anti-smoking slant much play, he never mentioned smoking in his last 7 years in office. The budget, will be resolved probably in the next two weeks ... the tax is still uncertain.

Kansas is a large state, but, not densely populated, about a half of the population resides in the Kansas City metro area or nearby, an
in the metro area, about half the population is split between Kansas and Missouri ... the state line runs, down the middle … people work and shop daily on both sides of the stateline.

Given the demographic of the city and state ... where do you think Dorothy and Toto, will be buying there smokes in the future .... Kansas with a $8.90 tax on a carton of cigarettes or Missouri with a dollar seventy.

The Governor ... accepts, the lost revenue from cigarette sales ... but, ... well ... we will get enough to get by, this year's budget crunch anyway, and this is my last budget in office. He doesn't want to make cut's ...

The reduction of revenue from sales ... will not be just this year ... but, for many years. All Kansans loose in the long run ... not just smokers.
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http://cjonline.com/stories/042702/leg_budget.shtml

John, "they" say only the poor and uneducated smoke. Now......why would they want to beat up on the poor like this?

Darlene ... one word "passive". I am familiar with Kansas politics, if you read the article ... you notice, the cut's for the disabled were restored in the budget. That did not just happen, out of good will.
Disability rights groups, are well organized and very active in Kansas, they lobby very aggressively ... and at the drop of the hat, they will hold large protests, in wheelchairs at the state capitol, singing songs and carrying signs. That get's good media coverage.

At present, smokers are not pro-active ... but, reactive ... if they increase the tax ... many will, look for ways to evade the increase cost of the habit. They buy a cheaper generic, or such … unfortunately, that does not avoid the tax … the difference in price, comes from the manufacturer … the tax is the same. To impact the politicians, in a reactive way … smokers must successfully evade the tax.

Politician's will take the path of least resistance, it's simply easier to "beat up" poor folk's.

did any of you catch the comment from a Connecticutt legislator about the proposed temporary income tax increase on those who make over $1 million a year???

The justification for the proposal was something along the lines of 'we just raised cigarette taxes by 61 cents a pack, it is only fair to tax the rich as well, since most smokers aren't.'

The Legislator making the comment, and the one proposing this are both democrats.

Here in Delaware I can't blame any particular party for anti-smoker bias. it's a non-partisan issue. We've got R's and D's proposing cigarette tax increases and smoking bans.

The Libertarian party is looking better and better to me every day - and I've been a registered Republican since 1978.

I like Dick Armey's comment ... "if there going to tax smokers ... they should tax, non-smokers for the amount they don't smoke."

Rich folk's may not be a high percentage of cigarette smokers ... but, they are the greatest percent of cigar smokers.

Actually, THEY should simply stop using taxes for their own behavioral mod agenda.

Also, smokers must make it clear that they will vote with their consumer dollars & at the ballot box. Otherwise they will continue to be victimized.