They stand waiting at the Manna House for a free lunch. They wait outside the Salvation Army for bed. Some don’t know where their next dollar is coming from. The cigarettes smoking between their fingers suggests how some spent their money. And now, some Georgia legislators want to get even more. A $1 tax on each pack of cigarettes would raise $354 million a year to help plug a big budget hole, they say. Others say no tax is a good tax. With ... Jump to full article >>

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One of two bills aimed at raising the state’s tobacco tax was snuffed out by a legislative committee Thursday, but may still have a spark of life left. SB40, sponsored by Sen. Allen Christensen, R-Ogden, looks to hike what is now among the lowest tobacco taxes in the country. Christensen argued the change, which would add $1.30 to the current rate of 69.5 cents a pack, is focused on health issues and could result in helping tens of thousand ... Jump to full article >>

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Smoke-Free Oklahoma and Tulsa restaurant owner Ken Selby held a Capitol press conference Monday to call for abolishing smoke rooms in restaurants and ending smoking in bars. Selby, the owner and operator of Mazzio’s and Oliveto restaurants, said his restaurants saw an increase in business when they went smoke-free a decade ago. “Several years ago and considerably before there were any regulatory laws against smoking in restaurants, I ... Jump to full article >>

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Gov. Bill Richardson said Tuesday he will call a special session of the Legislature next week if lawmakers fail to agree on a state budget before adjourning on Thursday but there’s still time to reach a compromise on spending and tax increases. The Democratic governor said lawmakers should consider a small increase in New Mexico’s gross receipts tax — perhaps one-eighth or one-quarter of a cent — along with a tax on junk f ... Jump to full article >>

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The European Union Council of Ministers, the bloc’s principal decision-making body, has adopted a directive updating EU rules on the structure and rates of excise duties on cigarettes and other tobacco products. “The directive is intended to ensure a higher level of public health protection by raising minimum excise duties on cigarettes, while bringing the minimum rates for fine-cut tobacco gradually into line with those for cigarettes,& ... Jump to full article >>

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Though we believe that raising taxes should always be a last resort, a guest column, “Using smokes and mirrors to resolve Georgia budget woes,” by Frank Stephenson (Rome News-Tribune, Feb. 4) contains inaccuracies and fails to fully examine what is at stake this year with Georgia’s budget and health-care system. In fact, perhaps the question isn’t really if we want to increase the tax on tobacco, the question is, who and what are we willi ... Jump to full article >>

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