40% tax increase ?!?! (Pennsylvania)

[rx2man]

Cigar smokers are a little more organized than we are. Need to align ourselves with these guys and make a sister organization PRA
https://www.cigarrights.org/news-info.php
I must not be looking in the right place on CRA as I cant find anything about the proposed increase.
http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2015/03/pennsylvania_budget_2015_tom_w_2.html
"Zimmerman says it's unlikely Wolf's tobacco tax proposals will get passed the GOP-controlled Legislature.
"There are numerous people who realize other states have tried it and it doesn't work," he said."
I also wonder why they dont just legalize marijuana and tax that as a new source of revenue.

 

[warren]

I'm sure they're keeping an eye on what's happening in and around Colorado. It's not going smoothly there. A lot of unintended consequences that must attended to. Same thing up here in Alaska. Lots of laws and regs to write. Enforcement policies, and the like have to be addressed. Plus, it could all go south when the Feds legalize the weed. Then "Indian Country" gets to reap the profits while the states lose tax revenue. In New York the higher the taxes go the more cigarettes are sold in Native entities. The whole situation is interesting to study.

 

[ssjones]

The bills in question appear to be House Bill 1213 and Senate Bill 117:
http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billInfo/billInfo.cfm?sYear=2015&sInd=0&body=S&type=B&bn=0117

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?syear=2015&sind=0&body=H&type=B&bn=1213
Both have been stuck in the Finance committee since May 2015. In Maryland, that usually means it died in committee and the chairman decided to not even vote on it. (my wife says that is the way bills work in MD)
That would be good news, but I would check the status of those bills weekly. When does the legislative session end in PA?

 

[ssjones]

rx2man's link is a good one. If you live in PA, definitely send a written letter to your House of Reps folks and Senators. My wife says emails don't carry much water. She just deletes emails from folks out of state (or not even in her district. Mailed letters are still the best way for your voice to be heard.

http://capwiz.com/cigarrights/issues/alert/?alertid=67636626

 

[papipeguy]

This clown we have as a governor got in because the previous guy inherited a mess from the prior Democrat governor, Ed Rendell. Also, he was not a skilled politician and had no personality. Not a good mix.

So now we have a guy who claims to be a businessman, he inherited the family business and fortune. This tax is just bad business but he wants to spend and spend and spend.

The Republican House and Senate have dug their heels in on tax increases and that's where we stand right now. A total impasse with no side willing to budge.

I hope we win this but I have told my reps that the $10K/year I spend at the local B&M will leave this state in a nanosecond. I am not alone so good luck to the governor.

 

[ember]

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2015/03/pennsylvania_budget_2015_tom_w_2.html

 

[okiescout]

TWO the proposed 40% tax increase on cigar and pipe tobacco
Cellar, cellar, cellar ::

 

[aristokles]

I added another year's worth to my cellar last week. And I will add yet another tomorrow (if not later today).

 

[woodsroad]

Seeing how this bill is stalled in committee, and seeing how I'm out of town for the better part of the week, I'm going to postpone my efforts until my return.

 

[skraps]

Considering the current budget impasse in PA, and the amount of time that these bills have been in "committee", I would doubt highly this will ever make it to the floor. Even if that did happen... with a GOP controlled legislature, you will not see this pass.
No reason not to stay involved and certainly no reason to become complacent, but certainly not impending doom.

 

[aristokles]

HAH! This is in the current budget stalemate and is a very active concern, no matter where it is in committee. I've a full list of the new governor's tax increases - this is just a big one of many, very many, all gruesome.
The tyranny of the majority is the Achilles Heel of democracy.

 

[deathmetal]

The tyranny of the majority is the Achilles Heel of democracy.

Indeed. I have become convinced it is fatal, because I have seen how democracy shapes people. I prefer to observe in smaller situations than politics, which is an icky field strewn with explosive feces. But even in small groups, once the "we'll take a vote on it" mentality happens, people are no longer very invested in the outcome, because they are certain of defeat through compromise.
Scary how many of the great truths of life are hidden right in plain view.

 

[aristokles]

So much for "stuck in committee". It appears a full vote is due next week in Harrisburg.

 

[zitotczito]

Been watching this also being in PA. If this were to pass and the 6.6% sales tax it all but stops any purchases by me from P&C. Even with 20% off sales would probably not be worth it. Now off to buy more during the H&H sale and my 20% off coupon.

 

[ember]

Wow my little post hit 2 pages I should get like a gold star or few one's of tobacco. haha

 

[dustmite]

The House of Representatives rejected the governor’s tax plan on Wednesday which would place a $1.4 billion income tax hike on Pennsylvania’s citizens and implement the highest severance tax in the nation on the natural gas industry.
The governor’s plan was rejected by a vote of 127 to 73. All Republican House members voted against the proposal, as well as the following Democratic members: Representatives Burns (Cambria); Gibbons (Beaver, Butler and Lawrence); Harhai (Westmoreland); Kotik (Allegheny); Mahoney (Fayette and Somerset); Matzie (Allegheny and Beaver); Petrarca (Armstrong, Indiana and Westmoreland); Sainato (Lawrence); Snyder (Fayette, Greene and Washington).
The defeat of this plan is a strong indication that both Republican and Democratic members of the legislature strongly oppose the governor’s proposed tax increases.

 

[zitotczito]

Thanks for the update, much appreciated.

 

[woodsroad]

Thank you for the update. I heard about it on KYW radio, and they reported it in typical dirge-like fashion.
Something like this:
"An embarrassing failure of totalitarian politics, when our elected officials can't get their act together to further fleece the ignorant, web-fingered, inbreeding, moonshing, busted chromosome Neanderthal residents of the State of Pennsyltucky"

 

[thedudeabides]

I try to avoid posting on stuff like this, but sweet fancy Moses, doesn't the government have better things to do? Wait they just spent $500M to arm 5 to 10 Syrian rebels, so maybe not.... How absurd....

 

[pcr1]

PA is one of the last great tobacco states (I was born there). The government there ought to not screw it up. I live in WA State, you wanna talk tobacco tax? A standard tin of pipe tobacco is $22-25 bucks... PLUS TAX!