Do you support the governor's plan to raise taxes on cigarettes?

Gov. John Baldacci, espousing efficiency and seemingly bracing for battle, unveiled a $6.4 billion budget package Friday that would increase state spending by an average 4.6 percent in each of the next two ...

[dan smith]

yes I do because it will force people to quit. And there will be less people dying and second hand smoke might go away. I hope the bill passes

[dan smith]

yes I do because it will force people to QUIT and less people will die from smokeing and second hand smoke. I hope the bill passes

[Jim]

I don't smoke but I do oppose raising taxes on anything because eventually they will come after you. Stand up for what is right even if it don't effect you. Smokers will die before collecting social security so it all evens out. Smoking is banned in public places now so the nuicance issue is not viable. Quit sticking your head in the sand and believing the government will leave you alone if they only tax _____ or ban ______

[Kim Crouse]

I agree with Jim...my husband and I just quit so we could afford college for the kids!!! maybe smokin is bad but when you start allowing the state law makers to tell you what to do with your lungs by hitting you where it hurts. I feel your also inviting or allowing them to infrindge apon your rights the next time someone get a hair-brained idea to take some other right from us. Isn't that what being an American is? living free??? I think the Govenor should look at other pork barrel spending and fund his dumb-ass ideas by cutting some needless spending.

[Jules Wilson]

Under the brilliant think of dan smith let's also;

Add a $5.00/gal gas tax. It will force people to drive less.

Add a 50% tax to junk food, it will force people to eat less.

Add a 100% tax to fatty foods, it will force people to lose weight.

Add a 100% tax to alcoholic beverages, it will force people to drink less.

Increase the sales tax to 25%, it will force people to save more.

Promote dan smith to Governor, it will force people to leave the state!

[Aint That Sicknin]

Most people I know who smoke do so because they are addicted, not because they want to. Raising the prices to insane levels doesn't stop the majority of them, it just means less money going towards other things at the grocery store. Maybe we should take the ciggy tax and put it towards reducing the price of healthy foods like fresh fruits and vegetables?

[Grease Monkey]

I disagree with a raised tax on tobacco products. It is not the only activity that causes the the state to spend money. They also plan on raising taxs on Beer,Wine,Soda and snacks.
If they truely want to end the effects of smoking, Out law it. Name another hazard that causes Cancer and health problems that are not identified and then out lawed.

How much money does the state spend every year on search and rescue of people who get lost or are injured due to their own actions in the state?

How much money does the state spend every year on people who move to this state and immediately draw welfare?

How much money does the state spend every year on people who collect unemployment or welfare and work under the table?

Why target just smokers?

[Terry Grant]

I disagree with raising the tax because I beleave the state is discriminating aginst the
smokers

[warren faulkner]

i say let the governor take a cut in pay and other politicions and stop stealing from the hard working people of the state of maine and other states i feel its all control they can kiss my ...

[Darcie Maynard]

I think it is horrible that they wanto raise taxes on cigareattes again wha about Alchol and junk food they could use to be higher and maybe less people would eat them or drink that much , Why do u just attack the smokers it isn't fair Pick on someone else people drink and drive , they fight when they r drunk , smokers don't get into fights over it and they deffentily don't put peoples lives at risk except our own .

[Paul Yanks]

Darcie Maynard wrote:

I think it is horrible that they wanto raise taxes on cigareattes again wha about Alchol and junk food they could use to be higher and maybe less people would eat them or drink that much , Why do u just attack the smokers it isn't fair Pick on someone else people drink and drive , they fight when they r drunk , smokers don't get into fights over it and they deffentily don't put peoples lives at risk except our own .

Hey if you fu'ckin quit smoking now,think of the money you'll save moron...

[America]

How about we don't raise taxes on anything else in Maine we are taxed to death as it is! And the price of health care has not gone up because of smoker's it goes up for the same reason everything else has gone up in Maine because the people in positions of running these places want a higher paycheck and somebody has to pay for it!Welcome to the middle class!

[QoS]

Absolutely - we need more taxes and fees (read: taxes) in maine - no doubt about it...TAX US into the poorhouse Gov - Brilliant! Way to boost the so-called economy. The only jobs that grow in Maine are in the commie government, it's been this way for dozens of years and it won't change.

TAX THE HEAT, TAX BUSINESS PROPERTY, TAX POWER, TAX PHONE, TAX TAX TAXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX!

Jules Wilson wrote:

Under the brilliant think of dan smith let's also;
Add a $5.00/gal gas tax. It will force people to drive less.
Add a 50% tax to junk food, it will force people to eat less.
Add a 100% tax to fatty foods, it will force people to lose weight.
Add a 100% tax to alcoholic beverages, it will force people to drink less.
Increase the sales tax to 25%, it will force people to save more.
Promote dan smith to Governor, it will force people to leave the state!

[James Craw]

Darcie Maynard wrote:

I think it is horrible that they wanto raise taxes on cigareattes again wha about Alchol and junk food they could use to be higher and maybe less people would eat them or drink that much , Why do u just attack the smokers it isn't fair Pick on someone else people drink and drive , they fight when they r drunk , smokers don't get into fights over it and they deffentily don't put peoples lives at risk except our own .

Hey Darcie, ever heard of secondary smoke? You, who smoke by your own omission, and all other smokers who smoke anywhere near a child, or anyone else with still developing lungs, are also putting that/those peoples lives at risk. Secondary smoke is sometimes worse than the stuff you inhale since the others around you are breathing in everything you didn't absorb into your lungs, and no one abosrbs anywhere near all of it, and then exhaled this along with the co2 you exhale anyways. I don't smoke/drink/do illegal drugs, and I never have/never will. That having been I do sympathize with smokers, and not just because my Mother has been one my whole life including my childhood. I agree that the state should raise other taxes here and there instead of always going after the smokers. In fact I belive, as others do, that the last thing the government wants is for you all to quit. Let's face it if you all did quit the state of Maine alone would be out millions a year just in cigerette taxes. I also feel that the higher taxes are just increasing the people who go into NH to buy them there, my Mom and her friend go to a base in NH where her friends son is stationed and get them there even less than they would in the stores. Let's not forget the internet, I remember a news story on WGME about a year or two ago about someone who owed like a couple thousand, or maybe even million, in unpaid cigerette tax from buying them online. So, I'm not saying smokers don't have a right to complain I just hold them to the same standards I hold anyone who has a complaint, make sure what you say is true and is worth the time and effort to complain about.

[James Craw]

America wrote:

How about we don't raise taxes on anything else in Maine we are taxed to death as it is! And the price of health care has not gone up because of smoker's it goes up for the same reason everything else has gone up in Maine because the people in positions of running these places want a higher paycheck and somebody has to pay for it!Welcome to the middle class!

And "America", fyi use your real name or at least a real name you don't need to hide to voice your opinion unless you don't belive it yourself, and in that case you shouldn't be posting it. Anyway, while you are correct to a point that insurance is not going up because of somkers, you should say it's not going up "solely" because of smokers. The fact is every time a policy is cashed in that company loses money and if they lose it faster than they planned to the rates go up. They can also lose money faster due to people needing more medical care that the insurance pays some/all of. However, smokers, and anyone else who does anything to either shorten their life or require a doctors visit are causing insurance rate to need to prematurly go up.

[Dont feed the politicians]

Of course they named cigarettes as the top item to be newly taxed. People will see only cigarettes and agree. Look deeper. Flavored water getting taxed? Holy Cow! Why not impose a highter tax on fast foods that are aiding to the obesity epidemic too?

We live in America. If people want to smoke, that is their right. Making them pay more will probably only take away from their children.

Think about the whole picture before agreeing to higher taxes.:/

[Dana Cimberly]

Yes I do because people would stop buying and decreases the people of Dying.

[Someone who smokes]

Terry Grant wrote:

I disagree with raising the tax because I beleave the state is discriminating aginst the
smokers

With you 100%. It's like smokers are underclass citizens.

[Someone who smokes]

Kim Crouse wrote:

I agree with Jim...my husband and I just quit so we could afford college for the kids!!! maybe smokin is bad but when you start allowing the state law makers to tell you what to do with your lungs by hitting you where it hurts. I feel your also inviting or allowing them to infrindge apon your rights the next time someone get a hair-brained idea to take some other right from us. Isn't that what being an American is? living free??? I think the Govenor should look at other pork barrel spending and fund his dumb-ass ideas by cutting some needless spending.

I agree with you, where will it end. Will they start taxing candy becouse it's bad for your teeth?

If they target smokers they should be hitting the drinkers too, start raising prices of rum and beer the way they've done with cigarettes.

[Someone who smokes]

dan smith wrote:

yes I do because it will force people to QUIT and less people will die from smokeing and second hand smoke. I hope the bill passes

Then they'll all die of something else, we all die sometime.