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Fact of the Day: Californians Burned by Another Cigarette Tax

From Edward M. Yap on Tuesday, June 23, 2009 4:13 PM
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Burning Money

Every day this week, Americans for Tax Reform will feature a different California tax as part of our CA Budget Tax of the Day series. Today's selection is Senate Bill 600, a 185% tax hike on cigarettes that would cost Californians a whopping $1.2 billion in FY 2010. The following points were included in a press release issued yesterday.
 
If SB 600 is enacted:
  • The state cigarette excise tax will rise by $1.50 per pack - a whopping 185% increase.
  • Another $1.2 billion will be confiscated from Californians' pockets during a recession and after the legislature already enacted the largest tax increase in state history earlier this year.
  • The effect of SB 600 would be felt predominantly by those least able to afford it. On average, smokers make $36,000  - about 30% less than non-smokers.
  • Some rural California counties have a median income of less than $10,000 - pack a day smokers in these counties would see 16.5% of their yearly income go to state and federal taxes
  • The statewide average price per pack will rise from $5.38 to $7.28, providing significant incentive for consumers to look for cheaper cigarettes in bordering states, online, and through the sophisticated black market operations that already exist.
To read the rest of the press release, Click Here

 

 

Permalink | Email | Print | Tags: TAXES, BUDGET, California

Comments

This is just another example of the ridiculous futility of the wide array of "solutions" to budgetary problems that Democrats always come up with: MORE TAXES! Not only that... but they don't even accomplish what the advocates try to argue, they just hit middle-class Anmericans who in times of crisis are the LAST group that needs to be hurting more during Economic harships in the United States.
>> Adam CA Tuesday, June 23, 2009 4:21 PM Report Comment

Well California, when you elect progressives, you get progressive policies. If you keep voting for more taxes and a fascist nanny state you will get more taxes and a fascist nanny state. When are people going to wake up and stop looking to the government to give us things and protect us from ourselves? And as California goes, so goes the nation. And Adam, who is the Governor of California? Who gave us the first Stimulus Package and first Bailout? Not a Democrat. We need to stop with the Party nonsense. The Republicans and the Democrats are on the same team. The options are not Republican vs. Democrat they are Liberty vs. Tyranny. The Republicans and Democrats play for team Tyranny and until we realize that they will continue to win.
>> TCH Tuesday, June 23, 2009 5:26 PM Report Comment

How about that flat tax now?
>> Johnny from LA Wednesday, June 24, 2009 1:08 AM Report Comment

The sad fact of these tax increases is, like the article states, that these taxes hit low income people the most. While democrats "guarantee" they won't raise taxes on low income earners these taxes do exactly that albeit under the table. Low income Americans need to realize that when they elect democrats who argue for enormous new social programs the money has to come from somewhere and it can't be done just by soaking the rich. If anyone wants to see the failures of progressive government in action watch California. Remember social freedom is highly tied to economic freedom, "for a government big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take from you everything you have" -Gerald Ford
>> Andy Wednesday, June 24, 2009 1:12 AM Report Comment

I'm going to go buy my Reds in Nevada.
>> SJD Wednesday, June 24, 2009 1:33 AM Report Comment

Ridiculous. Singling out one particular industry just leads into letting the government slowly taxing everything. Once the government sees that "fast food" is "bad" for you, they'll start taxing it higher to protect you from yourself. Bad, bad, bad. Check out this solution to the CA budget problem. Ridiculous. http://nationalgun.stereopress.com/?p=129
>> Alex Wednesday, June 24, 2009 12:50 PM Report Comment

Just another temporary measure to pay for state overspending.
>> Jeff Wednesday, June 24, 2009 3:35 PM Report Comment

Our federal government, as defined by the Constitution, protects no citizen from himself from doing himself harm. Rather the citizens doing harm to one another. Further, the federal government should have no legal responsibilities, regulations or mandatory overseeings of the populace as that is directly and lawfully the full responsibility of the states. Our government has slowly (more rapidly within the last months)invoked a total disregard of our founding fathers plan of a truely capitalistic, liberty and freedom enjoying nation. Cigarettes tax money are a mere pittance in the greed of power felt by the liberals. Keep hold of your "defenses", my friends, that will keep America from falling.
>> Joe Friday, June 26, 2009 8:40 PM Report Comment

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