House passes $500M tax bill

“Honestly, it's a tough thing to wrestle with because I understand the need for all businesses to pay their fair share”

Smoking can already be a costly habit, but a pack of cigarettes is about to get more expensive under a new tax plan approved last night by the House to help bring in new revenue for the state. via Berkshire Eagle

[lls]

I'm not a math whiz, but if tobacco-related illnesses cost Massachusetts more than 2.7 billion a year and we're only increasing the cigarette tax by 175 million (and using it to pay for health care "reform,") how has the state avoided bankruptcy?

And if we raise taxes on a product that kills people, and, at the same time, put anti-smoking campaigns into place, where will all the money come from when all the smokers are dead?

Shouldn't we raise taxes on the things that are healthy for us instead since those people cost the health system less money and will live longer to pay taxes?

[taxes]

Well now you know where MY stimulus rebate will go--right to NH and then i'll turn that little 300 bucks into 3000 in no time- and this state wont get any of it, teee heee.

[Eric]

I just love the law of unintended consequences. Smoking causes some diseases, but by killing its victims, it results in fewer cases of others. For instance, if you die of lung cancer at 61, you'll collect no Social Security, no Medicare, and not cost anyone a dime wasting away in a nursing home with Alzheimers. Indeed, it may be that smokers cost us less than healthy people.

[pittsfield mass]

I would just like too say one thing you want to raise the cigarette tax too make people stop smoking,if someone wants to smoke there going to smoke yet we have to put up with the state and goverment telling us what we can do. What happened to its a free country.And further in case someone may have forgotten that there are drunks out there killing people in there vehicles yet alcohol and beer and wine are still being sold and they dont hike up the taxes on that.I guess they dont mind alcoholics disesaes and health issues they just want to blame everything on smokers.

[Addiction Sucks]

What is the state gonna do when smokers cut back, but the state remains addicted to this larger than life tax? What next? Tax marijuana?

[steve]

now that the tax goes up and people start quitting while the sick still pass their will be nothing for health care due to the fact that their will be no one buying cigarettes.

[Jake]

And to think a war was started over some tea!

[SAL]

most of the early smokers, the really early smokers back in the 30s, 40s & 50s finally figured out that we smokers were killing ourselves-- if smokers now want to smoke let them-- eventually they will die early.

Now-- how about marijuana-- it does not kill you-- it makes you happy-- MARIJUANA should be legal and allowed-- everywhere.

And be at least 18 years old

Think about it, it really should be legalized.

[Tesh]

I think our country is becoming more and more dependent on cigarette taxes to cover everything. Why don't they put more taxes on the industries which contribute to obesity which cost the health care industry even more money (Diabetes, heart disease, etc.), alcohol which is almost as addictive, and any other product which may lead to long term illness. Isn't it time for Freihoffers and Ben and Jerry's to pay their share?

[nannystate brat]

The government can tax industries and corporations all it wants. It will be the consumers who will end up footing the bill in the long run. Thanks for sticking up for the little guy MA!

[nannystate brat]

Don't forget to pay your fed taxes too!
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0408/953...

Folks deserve a comfortable retirement dontcha know.

[Smoker]

New Hampshire and Connecticut are so close to everyone, this state is run by complete fools.
My cigarette tax contribution has now left the state. I'm being fiscally responsible not to buy cigarettes in Massachusetts.

[nannystate brat]

Work all your life to live in, and own a home. Then in your retirement years become a slave to the town to keep it. Look what's happening in NY.
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php...

[Free America]

Jake wrote:

And to think a war was started over some tea!

Silly me And I think they called it taxation without representation.

[Insanity]

Raising taxes is insanity - in general.

I like the concept of taxing cigarrettes, if you consider the theory that it might force people to stop smoking.

However, tobacco products have a VERY inelastic demand. So all a tobacco tax does is put a heavier burden on a measure of the population who have the lowest level of disposable income (in general).

Let's face it, tobacco should be illegal. I hate the liberals who want to create a windfall tax for "big oil" (gawd, I hate liberals). But I would not be opposed to legislation that raises taxes directly on companies that sell products that should be illegal otherwise (if you accept the premise that cigarrettes should be illegal).

[GMHeller]

MORE!!! MORE!!!! Make'em HIGHER!
Don't stop at just $500 million tax increase, GO FOR $5 BILLION!
With a Liberal Democrat-controlled Legislature backed by a Liberal Democrat Governor, why stop at a piddling $500M when with this winning hand the nanny-state Democrats can go for some real GOLD!
Higher tolls, higher fuel taxes, BRING 'EM ON!

GMHeller
Monterey,MA
Bethesda,MD
McLean,VA
http://www.berkshireeagle.blogspot.com/
http://www.wamcnet.blogspot.com/
http://www.wamc.net/

[Flo]

Never Ending Crooks in Politics.
Worse than the Worse used car salesman

[Jake]

Flo wrote:

Never Ending Crooks in Politics.
Worse than the Worse used car salesman

Politicians give used car salesman a bad name.

[GMHeller]

Jake wrote:

<quoted text>
Politicians give used car salesman a bad name.

Which just begs the question:
Would you rather by a used car from a Liberal Democrat politician or a used car salesman?

[SAL]

are we still talking about smoking-- there are more important things than cigarettes in this world-- lets grow up--