Clearing The Air

Raise tax revenue or stop tobacco usage...the Lunger & lawmakers seem to be at odds

If as the Lunger spins it, the new tobacco tax is causing people to quit smoking; then the new tax (fee) will not raise the required revenue it was intended to make up for the Minnesota budget shortfall.

On the other hand raising state revenue on the tobacco 'fee", means a statewide smoking ban is not a likely scenario.

Now, if MN. state lawmakers are smart, since the state budget now requires continued tobacco revenues they should pre-empt local city & county smoking ban ordinances. In other words no MN. city or county may pass a smoking ban as it would decrease MN. tax revenues.

posted by marcus aurelius @ 11:32 PM