After reading an article about the proposed $1 per pack increase in cigarette
taxes, I have to wonder: what is going to happen when people are *forced* to cut
way back or quit smoking because of the higher prices? Where will the money come
from then? Taxing something like that is just silly, in my opinion. The higher
you set the tax, the fewer of the item will be sold, lowering the expected tax
"benefit".
I don't smoke. I never have. But I get very tired of all the anti-tobacco
rhetoric. Has there ever been another industry that was basically being forced
to put itself out of business the way the tobacco companies are being forced to
do.
And before someone asks where we should get the money for education, here's my
answer: If the state lottery had been used for education the way that it was
sold to the public that it would be when then Gov. Richards was trying to
convince the public to approve it, then there wouldn't be the money problems for
schools in this state. Why should I believe that any of the money they plan to
take now will go for schools anymore than the money went there from the lottery?
And yes, I know that recent lottery commercials say that it *supports* school
funding, but the way I understood Gov. Richards and others, the entire lottery
fund was supposed to have been used for education.
taxes, I have to wonder: what is going to happen when people are *forced* to cut
way back or quit smoking because of the higher prices? Where will the money come
from then? Taxing something like that is just silly, in my opinion. The higher
you set the tax, the fewer of the item will be sold, lowering the expected tax
"benefit".
I don't smoke. I never have. But I get very tired of all the anti-tobacco
rhetoric. Has there ever been another industry that was basically being forced
to put itself out of business the way the tobacco companies are being forced to
do.
And before someone asks where we should get the money for education, here's my
answer: If the state lottery had been used for education the way that it was
sold to the public that it would be when then Gov. Richards was trying to
convince the public to approve it, then there wouldn't be the money problems for
schools in this state. Why should I believe that any of the money they plan to
take now will go for schools anymore than the money went there from the lottery?
And yes, I know that recent lottery commercials say that it *supports* school
funding, but the way I understood Gov. Richards and others, the entire lottery
fund was supposed to have been used for education.
Til next time
The opinions expressed in this message are mine. If you don't agree, start your own blog.-ne
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