SMOKE AND MIRRORS
Looks like there will be another initiative on the ballot to raise the tax on cigarettes another $2.60 a pack. I'm not a smoker but I get suspiciouswhenever government or special interest decide to tax anything. The new initiative would provide an estimated $2.27 billion annually. Of course the money will go for the children's health care (I really get nervous when they use children) and for emergency rooms, disease research blah,blah,blah.
Why should I care if I don't smoke? Because I know this ballot will pass and when they have finally taxed smoking to the point that hardly anyone smokes who will pay for all these now unfunded programs? I don't eat junk food so I guess there are other roads to take.
You can read the SacBee article here
posted by pappy @ 9:15 AM
2 Comments:
The government with more of our money to spend means more constituency to buy. As P. J. O'Rourke said: Giving money and power to politicians is like giving whisky and the car keys to teenage boys.
12 19 05
OK Pappy you do bring up some good points. As the use of tobacco declines, programmes who use it as a funding source will suffer. I suppose the question is in the meantime will such infusions into programmes help. I am a smoker (and havta quit after this last episode. Thx for wishing me well btw:)) Mike brings up a good point too. Now the question is what funds SHOULD we use to assist children? Because I care about kids and any programmes out there to help them are based on a decent principle!
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