Kernell Why.........? May 29, 2007
PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Rep. Mike Kernell 901-454-1113
May 29, 2007
SUBJECT: Tobacco Tax
Why...........?
“Every pack of cigarettes smoked cost $8 in health care costs and lost production according to the Center for Disease Control.
“So, why are we not putting the cigarette tax primarily into paying for health care and preventative medicine?
“Smokers should contribute more to their own health care costs or to the health care system.
“They know that, and the people want that.”
The state has a surplus of $750 million over and above planned revenue. That money, which grows with the growth of sales tax, should be put into education (instead of using a tobacco tax). The tobacco tax will go down constantly as fewer people start to use tobacco and more smokers die off. Therefore, Rep. Kernell says, “The future of education should be based on revenue generated by sales tax growth rather than on a tobacco tax which will diminish over time.”
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