re: #170 JasonA

Why?

Yeah, but guess who started the ball rolling for those cigarette taxes in New York?

If approved by the state Legislature, the city cigarette tax hike would come right on the heels of an increase in the New York State cigarette tax, which will rise to $1.50 a pack, from an already nation-leading $1.11, effective April 3. Pataki expects this to generate $250 million a year dedicated to state Health Care Reform Act (HCRA) programs.

However, Bloomberg’s revenue estimate assumes that raising the city tax to the same level as the state tax—a combined $3 per pack—would wipe out nearly half of all legal[1] cigarette purchases in New York City, as many more smokers quit, cut back or turn to non-taxed sources for their Camels and Marlboros. This, in turn, would wipe out a chunk of Pataki’s HCRA financing.

nyfiscalwatch.com

Let’s see. Bloomberg and Pataki. Weren’t they “right of center”? Weren’t they, Republicans?