Weekly Star Editorial for February 20, 1997

The infamous tobacco tax is again before the legislature and is taking up considerable time. My estimate is that the tobacco tax will be voted on this year . It also appears that the final tobacco tax will have a provision that allows for the tax receipts to be dedicated to school buildings. This provision is helpful to those legislators who do not want to raise taxes for the support of general government at this time (or any time).

This issue is difficult for me. I watched my father die painfully of the complications of cigarette induced emphysema over a 14 month period. One of my daughters has struggled desperately for two years to get unhooked from nicotine addiction. My favorite cousin just died last month from cancer, apparently as a result of a life long habit of cigarette smoking. I am certainly upset with the apparent manipulation by the tobacco industry and the impact of nicotine addiction and cigarette smoking on health.

In spite of the above, I have the following problems with the present bill:

• Most juveniles seem to have a lot of discretionary income and in spite of the information presented to me, I am dissuaded that raising the price of cigarettes is going to defer many children from getting started on smoking.
• I am not sure that the tax dedication portion of the existing bill is going to survive the court challenge.
• I believe taxes should only be paid by citizens to support the level of government THEY want.
• When we mix in behavior modification, even helpful behavior modification, it clouds the issue and raises philosophical conflicts for me.

Regardless of the forgoing, I have another problem with this tax and all taxes. Last fall, I promised the voters that I would not raise taxes, any taxes. Several local residents have written or called to remind me of my promise. Even though the tobacco tax is advertised as either a USER TAX or consumption barriers to juvenile cigarette smoking, IT IS STILL A TAX.

I have not made a final commitment on my vote, but my strong inclination is to vote against it, primarily on the basis of my promise to not raise taxes. Twenty months from now, if we as a state haven’t made significant progress on the juvenile cigarette smoking issue, and if I become convinced that price is the best tool we have to use, I will tell the voters my changed stand on taxes and give them a chance to vote me out of office.