newsobserver.com projects - cigarette tax - Comments

Re: Cigarettes, booze for teachers, mental health

gordman — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:44:23 -0400

Although I am not a great fan of booze and cigarettes I think is quite unfair to raise taxes for paying teachers. A much more profitable thing would be drug legalization starting with marijuana. As far as I can see this would solve more problems at once.
Gordman, Alcohol Intervention

Re: "Modernize Tax Code" = Lower your Taxes

Gosh — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 10:28:53 -0400

Can you even read?

The Senate Finance Committee will consider a proposal today that would reduce the sales tax rate but expand the services it covers, repeal the food tax and raise sin taxes.

Oh yes, drinking and smoking in the tax-exempt church that tells you not to do either, but vote for Bush anyway just 'cause will now cost more.

Point taken. Laughed at! But taken.

"Modernize Tax Code" = Raise your Taxes

PoliticalJunkie — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 10:19:45 -0400

Just the latest code word for a tax hike.

Legal cigarette lying

RonB — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 13:00:46 -0400

Over the years, I've paid a much higher price on behalf of the tobacco industry, but I'm sure that won't make their ad.

- Higher health insurance premiums and lower benefits.
- farmland dedicated to tobacco instead of food.
- countless jobs lost to manufacturing improvments/consolidation and/or shipping jobs overseas.
- rotting corpses of buildings left behind, costing millions of dollars to bring up to code.

Counting convience store workers among the 50,000 "tobacco employees" is misleading to say the least.

Why should we be sympathetic to an industry whose sole purpose is to get rich off the addiction and eventual death of our neighbors? They think they're doing us a favor by killing off Joe Camel, yet Teen smoking is only slightly in decline, not squashed.

As a taxpayer, do I have any say in the "taxpayers alliance"? Of course not, I don't have any Camel cash to spend on full page ads.

Re: Dome Memo: Budgets and judges

noble60 — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 12:09:02 -0400

I'm not seeing any major changes in state budget that hasn't been attempted before except for the stimulus monies from the feds and the public exposure of budget for everyone to review. By the way,the federal stimulus money will be a debt our children and grand-children will have to repay through taxes for years.
Why doesn't Gov Perdue and the legislators of NC really dive into the state budget, look at wasted positions with excessive salaries. Look at DPI, the elected DPI Superintendent for NC by citizens of NC drawing 143k with no job. Look at the CEO appointed by Gov Perdue into DPI drawing who knows what kind of salary. How many other positions fall into appointment category by the governor?
The NC Education Lottery. These funds should be left alone. This is similiar to borrowing from the State Employee Retirement System and not repaying that fund. It doesn't hurt now, but who can predict when those missing funds will be an issue. The classroom is where the money needs to be put! This includes infrastructure, supplies and equipment for the classroom, good teacher salaries and enough teachers to reduce classroom population.Let's not balance a budget at the expense of our children. This generation and the next are future tax payers!
Longivity pay from state employees- why not look at those state employees working in the 50-56 classification range who really need and depend on the longivity pay each year??
Then look at those employees with more than 30 years in the state system. What is wrong with a mandatory retirement after 30 years in the state system. What is wrong with state employees paying a premium co-pay for state health insurance after retirement till age 65, when Medicare(?) kicks in. This copay could be based on several things.
It is obvious that the open public budget cut proposals have been clouded once again by political arenas of "who did or owes who a favor", the lobbyist working diligently and different service organizations courting the general assembly.
A second issue, The American Legion proposal (FY09-3-FC) for changing the Division of Veterans Affairs to a Department of Veterans Affairs in North Carolina is an expense we can not afford. Look at the administrative needs up front for the Raleigh headquarters. With our current economy woes in NC, this request is simply a bad move at this time. There are still counties out there that do not have County Veterans Service Officer hired to help the veterans of their counties. Additionally, there are military service organizations out there assisting veterans with claims along with County Veterans Service Officer and Post Service Officers.

Re: Tobacco ax?

american11 — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 23:20:17 -0400

you would think she would have thought that through before taxing them. I am just about sick of your "hope" perdue!!!!

Re: Senate's task: Find $658 million

mountainman — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 20:19:50 -0400

"Find the money" I'll bet they know just where to look. THE TAXPAYERS POCKETS. These guys are not much better than hired theives. They think that the people don't know what they do for living, but they are wrong. The taxpayer understands when their pockets are empty,and these parisites are screaming for more.

Re: Tobacco ax?

ShelbyRadio — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 16:29:25 -0400

Any tax, no matter what it is placed on it too much for citizens of North Carolina who are already hurting. This proposed $1.00 per pack tax is not a fair tax since it targets only those who purchase them.

Re: Senate's task: Find $658 million

robdarich — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 10:09:57 -0400

I really hate the phrase "find the money".

The phrase suggests that there's money around - it is a pacifying statement meant to stop discussion of financial importance: IE: we have to find the money.

Yet it means nothing. It actually suggests that money has been lost. So "Finding" money in government is a violation of fudicary duty, "Find" is something for easter egg hunts and using the phrase in public service is wrong.

And it's getting used more and more in NC. I "Find" that "Disturbing".

Re: Hagan change to SCHIP bill withdrawn

greenswamp — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 11:43:03 -0500

You have the choice between a Saturn and Hummer don't you? There's no freedom lost here. Decide whether you want to smoke or not. I am sympathetic to smokers and know it's hard to quit. And I also wish they would tax alcohol more because I believe it is more harmful than tobacco. But I have to pay a high insurance premium to make up for the hugely costly treatments for chronic emphysema, liver disease, and lung cancer. People who have to have this treatment cannot pay enough premium to make it worthwhile for insurance companies, so I, who am not a smoker and non-drinker have to make up the difference. Or worse yet the government picks up the tab with my tax money to pay for it for the non-insured. Is that fair? Probably Hagan did not make a politically popular decision, but she made a stand and will take responsibility for it. That is a welcome change.

Re: Hagan change to SCHIP bill withdrawn

mickiep — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 09:59:42 -0500

The tobacco industry in NC, as an example, was once a major employer and source of income for many until the Democrats demonized it in the name of Public Health. Individual choice no longer means anything in this Republic and its erosion is rampant. The Democrats continuiously and systematically burden one group for the benefit of another with their redistribution programs. It won't stop at the final demise of the Tobacco industry or any other as there are plenty of industries to demonize and tax. Democrats are experts at social engineering using taxation as a means of behaviour modification and wealth redistribution. So when the time comes that we all pay 70% of our income in taxes, we need not worry about having or losing a job, because we can all just join the Kay Hagan/Obama Socialist club and have all our needs fulfilled.

Re: Hagan change to SCHIP bill withdrawn

JoCoCruiser — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 06:41:21 -0500

So we have someone that feels the need to vote how she perceives the popular vote to be ..... Make is proud!

Re: Hagan change to SCHIP bill withdrawn

tangoz — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 01:34:16 -0500

What has happened to responsibility for one's self and their own family. Why do I as a taxpayer have to pay for someone elses inability to raise their own children?
The Democratic party's policies and intentional efforts have created this dependent class. Let them pay the bill. Soon they will take all of my earnings from me and make me dependent on them to get a pittance of it back. Socialiam at it's best, or should I say at it's worst.

Re: Hagan change to SCHIP bill withdrawn

ThoughtCrimes — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 20:43:17 -0500

HA! That's reallllly sticking to her guns, eh? Oh well. It'll be nice to have another socialist govt program that doesn't work!

Re: On the Budget: Paul Luebke

esteban1949 — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 09:42:41 -0500

maybe the state should when early releasing prisoners should have them all move next to to him ? Personally i'd rather have a toxic waste dump site in my back yard...So much for being a servant of and for the people...

the democratic process,where we, the people get screwed over every time.yep,situation normal..