Florida Senate approves buck-a-pack cigarette tax increase
April 17, 2009 at 6:08 am by Wayne GarciaLooks like PoHo is going to have to pay more for his stogies as the Legislature is poised to pass a major new tax increase (Go GOP!!!) on tobacco products.
Yesterday, the Florida Senate approved the $1 increase on a pack of ciggies and a $1 an oz. increase on snuff, chewing tobacco and (gulp) cigars.
From tampabay.com:
The 39-0 vote came despite intense lobbying from Big Tobacco, a stinging letter of disapproval from Republican anti-tax crusader Grover Norquist, and obvious opposition from both the governor and House Republicans.
“We think it’s a fair and equitable tax,” said Sen. J.D. Alexander, R-Winter Haven, who heads the Senate budget committee.
But to Alexander the tax provides more than fairness: It raises $1 billion and is now an indispensable piece of the Senate’s $65.6 billion budget package.
