Two Democratic legislators plan to introduce a bill Tuesday that would raise the state’s cigarette excise tax by $1 a pack.
A co-sponsor, Sen. William Purcell, D-Scotland, said he is committed to its introduction, even though he knows the odds are slim of getting the bill out of a subcommittee, much less through a Republican-controlled General Assembly.
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The Fair Trade Commission (FTC) yesterday said 31 tobacco dealers would be fined a total of NT$21.9 million (US$743,000) for price fixing and interfering with fair trade.
The commission has been investigating the case since June last year, questioning suspects, checking banking records and tracing communication among those suspected of conspiring to raising prices, Vice Commissioner Shih Hui-fen (施惠芬) said.
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With our state now dead last in how much we tax tobacco products, it seems ridiculous to have to write this editorial.
It should already be clear that the tax rate is outrageously low. It should already be clear that state lawmakers need to act. It should already be clear that the benefits from increasing this tax far outweigh any perceived detriments.
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The number of smokers in St. Lawrence County has dropped eight percent in recent years, but experts are concerned that a 10-year decline among youth might have halted. Local experts say their goal is to stop people from smoking before they start, so they are focusing on keeping young people from lighting a first cigarette. “Ninety percent of current adult smokers started at or before the age of 18,” said St. Lawrence County Tobacco Program Coordinator Ben Todd. Ream more »
The Ministry of Health has reiterated their call to retailers who sell tobacco that they must have a license by September next year.
In clarifying the new tobacco decree that was recently passed in cabinet, ministry spokesperson Peni Namotu says registration begins next month.
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A new report published by the American Lung Association indicates that Utah is falling short when it comes to helping smokers quit. According to the study, the recently passed federal health care reform plan will help many Americans have access to comprehensive cessation coverage, but there is still a need for states to enact legislation that ensures all Americans have access to the coverage.
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Gov. David Paterson announced over the weekend that he plans to raise cigarette tax statewide. The proposal will be included in his next budget-extending legislation.
The new tax is slated to place $1.60 tax on the cost of a pack of cigarettes, raising it from $2.75 to $4.35—higher than the previous proposal to add $1 per pack. The taxes are projected to raise $290 million in extra revenue to help close a budget gap of $9.2 billion, reported Business Week.
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A rare bit of good news for cigar smokers—taxes in California are going down.
The California Board of Equalization will lower the state’s surtax on Other Tobacco Products, which includes premium cigars, on July 1. California is one of the largest cigar markets in the country.
Each year, the BOE reviews the state’s sales tax structure to ensure it is fair and uniform, then adjusts accordingly.
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New York’s top court on Tuesday rejected prosecutors’ cases against two Indian-owned convenience stores in Central New York for selling tax-free cigarettes, reported The Utica Observer-Dispatch. The ruling came as welcome news to the Oneida Indian Nation, while local critics questioned the basis of the decision. Read more
Gov. Mark Sanford vetoed a bill Tuesday that would have raised the state’s cigarette tax from 7 cents a pack to 57 cents, a move that was met with praise from Grand Strand smokers and tobacco sellers. Read more