I wrote to our esteemed governor regarding cig taxes....this is an excerpt from his letter...

"I am concerned about the toll that tobacco has taken on the citizens of Ohio. Increased taxes on cigarettes are an appropriate additional source of revenue, not only because of the additional revenue they will provide our state, but also because of the public health benefits such a tax will encourage. Smoking-related illnesses cost Ohio taxpayers millions of dollars every year. Any reasonable steps we can take to discourage our citizens, and especially our youth, from this addictive habit will pay long-term dividends."

I wrote back and asked what the MSA was for, and stated I thought laws prohibiting people under 18 from buying tobacco was already discouraging youth....

I thought about not even responding, because it will fall on deaf ears, and they just have these form letters anyway. Just wanted them to know, on the record, that I'm not buying the bull....I really am getting soooooooooo sick of this crap.....

quote:

Originally posted by AbbyL:
I really am getting soooooooooo sick of this crap.....

I don't blame you.

He's a thief and a moron.

quote:

Originally posted by squeezer:

quote:

Originally posted by AbbyL:
I really am getting soooooooooo sick of this crap.....

I don't blame you.

He's a thief and a moron.

squeezer, I notice you are from WI, as am I. Madison to be exact. Gov Doyle has a proposal for an additional 1.00 per pack tax to be enacted Jan 1, 2006 (which will bring to 1.77 per pack tax) for additional funding for Medicaid, and of course to assist the budget. I have read that MN may be sued for doing the same thing as that violates the "Tobacco Settlement". I believe the governors together at their last meeting this year put on their "thinking caps" and came up with this as a whole (?). How interesting that it's coinciding with all these city bans. How interesting that there is now legislation on a more level statewide ban. Just some ponderings.

Hi oldstudent. I'm in Eau Claire.

I haven't heard about a proposed tax increase. Doyle fought off a tax increase earlier this year. I see this one's date is for Jan. 1, 2006. He must have had a no new tax pledge for 2005. <smirk>

I'm always getting medicare and medicaid confused, but I think only 1 is covered by the MSA so I'll bet this is the other one and probably legal.

If it isn't, as like what's happening in MN with their health impact fee I'll bet they'll just say it's for schools then or something else to avoid the MN problem.

They're greedy &^%$ pigs and thieves, plain and simple.

They always talk of cutting spending. What liars.

http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2005/data/AB451hst.html
here's the site for tax legislation
nice reading your post and have read some of the other ones-some of which fomalol! gay smokers....and on.

Welcome oldstudent! Indeed hiking cig taxes and smoking bans go hand and hand as the anti groups continue to funnel more MSA money into lobbying - er I mean "health advocacy". It seems that the only governor who has stood up and told them where to stick it is Aaahnohld, most of the others are only too happy to kiss up to them. If we could even get half of smokers (at least 10% of the population) to vote against any politician who sides with the antis - imagine the impact it could have.

quote:

Originally posted by oldstudent:
http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2005/data/AB451hst.html

"Introduced by Representatives Hines, Gielow, Wasserman, Bies, Gottlieb, Owens, Jeskewitz, Ainsworth, Berceau, Boyle, Kreibich and Ott; cosponsored by Senators Roessler, Jauch, Risser and Miller."

I recognize some of those names:

Boyle wanted to tax smokers and give the money to military personnel returning from Iraq. I wrote him and asked him (very angrily) why not tax everybody if this was so important. He wrote back, "You must be a smoker."

Kreibich's the ^%$# that banned smoking in all dorms. One of his aides called me once and asked me to quit using profanity in my emails. I told him to %$#$ off.