Cigarette tax hike introduced in House

[krazeeboi]

There ya go!

Yesterday, the House voted to raise the cigarette tax by 30 cents. However, they voted not to spend the estimated $107 million a year a higher tax would raise on health care or smoking prevention. Instead, money would go to cut the sales tax on groceries to 1.4% from 3%.

The bill faces an uncertain fate in the Senate, where some members are reluctant to raise taxes in a year when the state has a budget surplus. The Senate

[Captain Worley]

I'm glad they tied it to a tax cut on groceries. I was really afraid the money would 'disappear' if they tied it to health care. The cut on groceries will be a benefit everyone. I'm still not sure if it will pass...

[krazeeboi]

Even though this bill has wide support, it might not pass since there's no consensus on how to spend the generated revenue.

[g-man430]

This state is so slow on progressive things, it's almost unreal.

[Captain Worley]

Even though this bill has wide support, it might not pass since there's no consensus on how to spend the generated revenue.

[Spartan]

It shouldn't be an issue of how to spend extra money for this lot of people. Its sure as hell never been a problem in the past, even when there isn't extra money to spend. I'm sure there's another bean museum that needs funding.

[Captain Worley]

I'm not fond of the cigarette tax because, in my opinion, it is a tax to try and punish smokers. That's OK if they use the tax for the greater good, like reducing tax on something else. If the money goes into a general fund and can be used for useless stuff like, say, a bean museum, I'm dead set against it and don't want it to pass.

Just for the record, I don't smoke.

[krazeeboi]

It's a tax on a "luxury," and not a necessity, which is why I'm for it. I would much rather see the generated revenue go towards healthcare (including mental health) and smoking prevention.

[Captain Worley]

I see your point of view, krazee, but I see it more of a 'trying to get us to behave' tax.

[Spartan]

I see it as a way of raising our standards to the rest of the nation. We already have the lowest cigarette tax in the nation. I see no reason not to be on par with everyone else.

[Captain Worley]

I just don't equate 'raising taxes' to 'raising standards.' I think low taxes are a good thing.

I'd still be OK with it if they lowered some other taxes to offset the increased revenue.

[Spartan]

Is that not what they did/are doing?

[Captain Worley]

They were to begin with, but the latest I heard was just that they were going to raise taxes, and weren't linking it to decreasing any taxes. Has anything changed?

[BrasilnSC]

The last I heard was that they were proposing to lower the tax on groceries to offset the increase in cigarette tax, but I think they are still unsure of exactly what to do. I think at least some of it should go to health care and smoking prevention.

[Spartan]

When it comes to a common tax, then I will generally agree with the notion of lowering taxes somewhere else to compensate. I have to agree with Krazee though, cigarettes are a luxury, so tax the hell out of them. I also agree with putting 100% of the income from this tax towards healthcare initiatives.

[Captain Worley]

Oh, jeez, don't let the legislators hear you say that!

I disagree with taxing the hell out of luxury items. Perfume is a luxury item that some object to the smell of. Should that be taxed out the wazoo just because it is a luxury?

Almost everything we buy is a luxury, when you get right down to it. I don't want these items taxed just because of that.

[912]

When it comes to a common tax, then I will generally agree with the notion of lowering taxes somewhere else to compensate. I have to agree with Krazee though, cigarettes are a luxury, so tax the hell out of them. I also agree with putting 100% of the income from this tax towards healthcare initiatives.

[Spartan]

You can make that argument with any law. Change cigarette for the word "gun control." I personally don't know of anyone who is against raising cigarette taxes- thought I guess some people who smoke are probably not in favor of it, which is understandable.

[krazeeboi]

The notion of "raise the tax to keep pace with the rest of the nation", is IMO, silly. Since when has a fiercely independent state such as SC given a crap about what the rest of the nation does?

[krazeeboi]

The cigarette tax-hike bill failed to advance this year. The bill, advocates and lawmakers said, failed for a number of reasons:

[Spartan]

Well said. I'm not sure why the General Assembly is so opposed to the idea of "saving" money.

[krazeeboi]

^Because they're so shortsighted. I don't even have time to go over the litany of examples that attest to that.

At least there is a genuine push to get this tax raised, and I think it will happen in the next legislative session.

[Captain Worley]

Well said. I'm not sure why the General Assembly is so opposed to the idea of "saving" money.

[krazeeboi]

^Because surpluses don't last forever, and you don't establish ongoing programs based on a one-time surplus. And I doubt the surplus is due to overtaxation, as we've been having surpluses for the past few years now. Surely someone would have made a major fuss if that was the reason.

[Captain Worley]

^ The Constitution of SC requires the state to be run with a surplus.