Cigarette tax hurts the poor, but it's justified -- Social Issu...

When we hear "regressive tax", we know it is only politics talking. It is much more regressive to tell a hard working person or family that they can no longer achieve the dream of owning a home because property taxes have become almost as much as another mortgage. That is what has gagged this state. Lenders, mortgage, economy will all fluctuate with the markets...ok, we did with the good and bad. Property taxes don't fluctuate. They go up and resultly, the starting tax out of the box is 2-3 times what is was 10 years ago. To me, this is denying opportunity and that is regressive.

Sin taxes or consumption taxes can alway be moderated by oneself. If someone doesn't want a home and would rather spend money on cigs, lotto tickets, booze...so be it. Those folks probably will never want to purchase a home. What I'm concerned about is that 30% that does want to work their way into a home or up the society ladder. Those are the folks we should help most.

Let's tax cigs, booze, gas, gambling, consumption and allow the others a way out.

I have seen people pay for their groceries with food stamps. Then pull out a $100 dollar bill and buy two cartons of cigarettes.

Opportunity Tax wrote:

When we hear "regressive tax", we know it is only politics talking. It is much more regressive to tell a hard working person or family that they can no longer achieve the dream of owning a home because property taxes have become almost as much as another mortgage. That is what has gagged this state. Lenders, mortgage, economy will all fluctuate with the markets...ok, we did with the good and bad. Property taxes don't fluctuate. They go up and resultly, the starting tax out of the box is 2-3 times what is was 10 years ago. To me, this is denying opportunity and that is regressive.
Sin taxes or consumption taxes can alway be moderated by oneself. If someone doesn't want a home and would rather spend money on cigs, lotto tickets, booze...so be it. Those folks probably will never want to purchase a home. What I'm concerned about is that 30% that does want to work their way into a home or up the society ladder. Those are the folks we should help most.
Let's tax cigs, booze, gas, gambling, consumption and allow the others a way out.

Owning a home is NOT a necessity. So technically, by your logic, property taxes are a "consumption" tax.

Many people CHOOSE not to own a home for various reasons. Whether or not they smoke, gamble or drink has nothing to do with it.

For the other poster talking about foodstamps. I've also seen people driving around in hummers, dressed to the max, with all the latest and greatest gadgets go into bankruptcy and foreclosure. How is that different? Before you start screaming about handouts and tax money. Who do you think ultimately pays when people get in over their heads and file bankruptcy? The consumer, just as the taxpayer pays for gov. programs. Same "banker" different pocket.

If smoking is so bad, why don't you just ban it?

Mike's quote:

"And it is well-documented that cigarette taxes reduce disease and death by making smokes unaffordable to the poor. So we do this for their own good."

How the dems love to use government to control what you can and cannot do.

And when they raise the tax enough, and force enough people to quit smoking, what do they have?

Less tax revenue, of course. So they have to move this ftax to some other item or practice that they have determined is evil.

The same group who buys rubbers for school kids and doesn't support teaching abstinence once again misses the point.

Ban smoking or shut up about it.

a cigarette tax does not hurt the poor. it helps them. they may not see it. but if they quit smoking, they will be better off. i have seen too many family members or friends pass on because of lung disease.

It is a CHOICE to begin smoking... and it is a choice to continue smoking. As bad as Big Tobacco is, I've never heard of a cigarette company employee put a gun to someone's head and FORCE them to inhale nicotine until they are addicted.
Florida's cigarette tax is less than other states. Maybe the higher entry price point would force less people to make this CHOICE to start smoking. If people are so poor they can't afford it, they probably should spend that money on food or clothes for their 4 or 5 kids.
Also, the real hardcore smokers can avoid the tax by stocking up at the Indian reservation store.

Why oh why are we always taking advantage of the poor?
They can't afford these taxes. Hopefully the Democrats will take charge and help these poor people.

No one ever talks about raising taxes on ALCOHOL. That is the one they should go after, but no one has the courage to mention it. As I stated before, if ALCOHOL was taxed as much as tobacco the State of Florida would be debt free. I don't waste my money on tobacco or ALCOHOL any more. I found out where both would lead me and I wised up.
Has anyone ever stopped to realize the misery, heartbreak and death that ALCOHOL brings into the community? Nobody wants to look into that window of horrors.
To hear the phrase, "It's for the children" makes me so sick to my stomach. Do a little research and see where the money went from all the law suits against the tobacco industry. It sure didn't got to the children. Nobody even thought of the children.
Folks, wake up and demand that ALCOHOL be taxed as much as tobacco. It is your money and your future.

The Taxman, the song by the Beatles said it long ago one for you and nineteen for me cause im the taxman.

I can't wait for alcohol to be taxed like cigs. Bring the price down! Provide a link for your statements please.

Actually...as a conservative...the most 'fair' thing is a flat usage tax rate for any and all items purchased.

Ironic that the liberals are the ones pushing this.....and trying to decide what is 'fair', all-the-while using an unequal application of taxes on certain groups to substantiate their argument.

Don't get me wrong...I HATE smoking. Smokers are the worlds worst litterbugs, and as statistics prove...rather stupid.

But as one person posted....you could apply Mike's fornicated logic to lots of things!

Hell...let's put a 1000% tax on Happy Meals....or cell phones...
The first, it can be argued, leads to an unhealthy lifestyle, and the second, is DANGEROUS on the roads! We could substantiate a solid argument on stupid taxation on almost every item. And a populace which allows taxmakers to do so on even ONE item (although it's quite hated), is a tax base of people just ASKING to have that kind of slighted legislator enact further control over other 'vices' in their life!

goneaway wrote:

Why oh why are we always taking advantage of the poor?
They can't afford these taxes. Hopefully the Democrats will take charge and help these poor people.

Let me see the mean old republications have taxed the poor to death, right? Oh come on, do you really believe that? By the way the Democrats have been in charge in Washington for over a year now in case you haven't noticed. They control both the house and the senate.

This is absurd, ridiculous and moronic. By raising the tax only a small amount shows they have no intention of stopping people from smoking. It's just the opposite. They want to keep them hooked on smoking and that way they can keep the tax money coming in. If they really wanted people to stop smoking they would raise it to $10 a pack or something like that, something that hits them so hard it takes away food and gas. Then they'll think about it. If you raise it a few cents at a time it's like starving them to death.

And don't preach to me. I smoked from the time I turned 17 until just before I turned 40. I know what it's like.

c'mon Mike, higher taxes are for the better good? Why doesn't Big Brother tax us for eating food that isn't "correct", wearing clothes that aren't "moral" and reading publications (i.e.newspapers) that take a counter argument? I am personally tired of the government telling me what I can and cannot do if it is legal, and then charging me for the "privilege"! I thought we lived in a free country, but more and more I see shades of Orwell creeping in.

Legalize marijuana and tax that. It will free up law enforcement and the courts to take care of more important issues while also providing a large source of revenue.

It is an untapped financial windfall.

Haywood Jablomie wrote:

....
Hell, using Mike's weird logic, raising the tax on gas about 1000% will not only reduce our chronic gas usage, but reduce traffic-related deaths as well. I say let's do it!

There's nothing weird about the logic of your "mocking" example.

If the tax of gas was higher it would definitely reduce our gas usage. I say go for it!

These cigarette taxes are poorly planned political grandstanding.

If you are arguing that the smokers end up on Medicaid and drain the system, then why will the tax revenues go towards children's health care?

Why do we want to tie funding for children's health care to an activity that the tax itself is trying to reduce? This means that we are guaranteeing that there will be less money for children's health care in the future if we are successful in reducing smoking. Talk about a conflict of interest.....

And perhaps you could tell me why the poor should be stuck paying for the sins of big tobacco. It would be absurd to tax the poor because of the sins of big oil or the pharmaceutical companies, so why tax poor people for big tobacco?

The reality is that sin taxes are easy to pass because most people don't smoke or care about the personal freedoms of others.

Starflyer wrote:

I have seen people pay for their groceries with food stamps. Then pull out a $100 dollar bill and buy two cartons of cigarettes.

It's an addiction. Until they quit, smokers will always find a way to get cigarettes.

I'm sick of this arguement. If this stuff is so bad, suck it up, have a debate, and BAN it. If not, leave it alone and up to people to choose to smoke or not.

Whatever it takes to stop these kids from getting hooked!! Smoking is a nasty, dirty, expensive habit that accompolishes absolutely nothing but spending money for this dirty thing and ending up with cancer, etc., and death. Who in their right mind would even consider doing this to themselves? it is not COOL, SEXY or anything else attractive...just plain stupid to begin with