Or just the obvious common sense realization, which is that most of our species is happiest when given authority they do not deserve.
40% tax increase ?!?! (Pennsylvania)
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Jean-Baptiste Colbert, minister of finance under King Louis XIV of France in the 17th century famously stated that the Art of Taxation "consists in so plucking the goose as to obtain the largest possible amount of feathers with the smallest possible amount of hissing."
So everyone in PA should hiss. I am not saying that it will do any good, but it certainly can't hurt. Unfortunately, most people only get upset about tax increases when they are paying the taxes, and are far more accepting of them when the other guy is getting screwed. I fear there may be too few smokers to make a difference, but that doesn't mean that you shouldn't try.
So everyone in PA should hiss. I am not saying that it will do any good, but it certainly can't hurt. Unfortunately, most people only get upset about tax increases when they are paying the taxes, and are far more accepting of them when the other guy is getting screwed. I fear there may be too few smokers to make a difference, but that doesn't mean that you shouldn't try.
Ummmm, hey guys. Our beloved pipe blends are not taxed in PA. (How long did we really expect that to last?) Hence this is not a proposed 40% increase which is different but an outright imposition of a new tax on our tobacco TO 40% (which is draconian and foolhardy as well). If we were already paying 3 or 10, a 40% increase would put it at 4.2 or 14 or whatever.
Other currently taxed tobacco products will also see their tax go up to 40% from whatever the rate is already but mathematically that is not a 40% increase. But it is a full 40 for us. Big bummer
Yes,I have ordered yet more tobacco today for the cellar (wife says "Not enough!" - got to love her) and wonder if it would be of any use to once again contact my senator and representative. Last time I got an elegant kiss-off from one and a lecture from the other.
Other currently taxed tobacco products will also see their tax go up to 40% from whatever the rate is already but mathematically that is not a 40% increase. But it is a full 40 for us. Big bummer
Yes,I have ordered yet more tobacco today for the cellar (wife says "Not enough!" - got to love her) and wonder if it would be of any use to once again contact my senator and representative. Last time I got an elegant kiss-off from one and a lecture from the other.
I have stated my case against this but who knows what will happen. Government always trying to kill the Golden Goose. When they kill off the tobacco industry then what will they tax next, they still want the money coming in to waste. Maybe $1.00 a bag tax on potato chips, that will get the masses pissed. Hmmm, maybe a Boston Spud Party.
In either case if they do this and since I live in PA and also pay the 6% sales tax that they also want to raise to 6.6%, purchases from P&C will cease from me. And you wonder why I have cellared 149 pounds of pipe tobacco.
In either case if they do this and since I live in PA and also pay the 6% sales tax that they also want to raise to 6.6%, purchases from P&C will cease from me. And you wonder why I have cellared 149 pounds of pipe tobacco.
The other problem is if PA does this does it catch the attention of legislators in other states? Hey PA is rolling in dough from the extra $10k they got by taxing pipe tobaccos.....we should do it too. :evil:
Well, I think Texas put a huge tax, maybe the same 40%, on tobacco several years ago. Anyone from Texas here?
I live in a 7% sales tax area of PA and so the tax hit, without the Feds, will be 47%. All of our surrounding states do tax pipe tobacco but not at that level, but the danger they will up each others' antes is real. I hate to see my B&Ms disappear; they are old friends.
I live in a 7% sales tax area of PA and so the tax hit, without the Feds, will be 47%. All of our surrounding states do tax pipe tobacco but not at that level, but the danger they will up each others' antes is real. I hate to see my B&Ms disappear; they are old friends.
I think this is accurate, sadly. And Canadian taxes are insane. Then again, in America we hide many of our taxes behind costs of living and doing business.
If you buy tobacco products sold in Virginia you are paying not just the 10% tobacco tax (that is not too bad comparatively) but the tobacco company has to jump through some serious hoops: "One of the enacted changes mandates each tobacco manufacturer that ships tobacco products to any person located in the Commonwealth of Virginia to file an annual report with the Department of Taxation. The report must identify the names and addresses of persons in the Commonwealth to whom shipments of tobacco products (excluding cigarettes) were made during the previous year". That obnoxious overhead is more than likely to be passed on to the consumer from the selling company to Virginia residents in some fashion or to all buyers to compensate for the overhead.
Ha, guys you have no idea how lucky you would be in PA at a 40% tax. We pay an 85% tax on sales to Florida residents for pipe tobacco (because we're based in FL) and a 65% tax on everyone else. It seriously sucks! :twisted:
I live 9 miles from the PA line and currently buy all of my blends in PA. MD pipe tobacco is taxed at 35%, which happened a few years ago. I moved all of my business to PA, now I guess that I'm back to MD. We're the low hanging fruit for the tax pundits. How does this tax effect cigar sales in PA? The lobby machine for that industry is far larger and more powerful than pipe tobacco. Perhaps we can ride their coat-tails and get this delayed/modified.
From this article, it doesn't look good:
http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2015/03/pennsylvania_budget_2015_tom_w_2.html
From this article, it doesn't look good:
http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2015/03/pennsylvania_budget_2015_tom_w_2.html
Also a worry for many of us should be that pipesandcigars.com is based in Pennsylvania and depending on how the law is written could extend the tax to their online sales.
[/quoteAlso a worry for many of us should be that pipesandcigars.com is based in Pennsylvania and depending on how the law is written could extend the tax to their online sales.
From what I can remember from other online purchases they can't TAX you twice . As in if you live in Florida and the company you are buying from is in PA they can't charge you PA TAX on top of FL they can only charge you FL tax. But who knows I'm sure they will find a way to do something if it will get these crimminal more money
From what I can remember from other online purchases they can't TAX you twice . As in if you live in Florida and the company you are buying from is in PA they can't charge you PA TAX on top of FL they can only charge you FL tax. But who knows I'm sure they will find a way to do something if it will get these crimminal more money
"Maybe it's time to move my cellaring project to the front burner."
Over the last few mos I went from estate pipe purchasing to pipe tobacco purchasing. Between cigar trades and purchases I am sitting on over 30 lbs of baccy. At the rate I smoke this will last me a lifetime. Not sure when I will stop picking up baccy and hoping this tax does pass so I can add a little more to my stash. There are still other baccy places outside of PA but SP gets a lot of my money and hope that will continue.
Over the last few mos I went from estate pipe purchasing to pipe tobacco purchasing. Between cigar trades and purchases I am sitting on over 30 lbs of baccy. At the rate I smoke this will last me a lifetime. Not sure when I will stop picking up baccy and hoping this tax does pass so I can add a little more to my stash. There are still other baccy places outside of PA but SP gets a lot of my money and hope that will continue.
I'll slip in Cigars International in Hamburg next week and see how they're dealing with it. They have I think five shops in the Allentown area.
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