Sanford: Cigarette tax faces a veto

Gov. Mark Sanford today said he would veto the Senate's cigarette tax hike if it comes to his desk in its current form.

Sanford said the state should not raise any tax without an offsetting tax cut.

He criticized the Senate plan as a "double tax increase" for the way it increases taxes immediately, but will also mean having to raise taxes later on to cover future growth in the programs it seeks to expand.

The Senate approved a 50 cent a pack tax increase to the cigarette tax, which would generate $158 million a year.

Comments

[Richard Sizemore]

The cigarette tax increase is long overdue and should be put into effect unconditionally. The governor and the legislature have refused to actively seek an increase for years, at the expense of hundreds of lives and thousands of health care dollars. By insisting that taxes be lowered in other areas to offset the cigarette tax increase, Gov. Sanford is not acting in the best interest for the vast majority of the state's citizens. I would urge the governor to re-think his position and pass the tax increase as soon as possible.

[JimT]

I will be SO glad when we are through with Governor Sanford. In a state that can only afford minimally adequate education for its children, in a state where its employees are expected to work for peanuts and nearly non-existant raises, in a state where its agencies are expected to work with antiquated equipment, the ONLY thing that matters to the governor is cutting taxes.

This is the shortcoming of those who put ideology above good sense.

[Jimmy]

I dont think we should have ectra taxes on Cigarettes, no one makes you smoke them, keep going and soon there will be a lot more products being tax, BIg Brother is coming

[wtf]

Double tax increase? Just what is Sanford smoking? The state is facing a financial shortfall all on his watch and what does he do when there is an easy and popular solution to raise much needed revenue with out cutting service? He refuses to do the right thing. What's worse is that he blows smoke up our rears and claims its for the better of the state.

Look, you are free to smoke or do whatever you want to your body...but when your habbits lead to increased taxes due to the rising spending in healthcare...your right ends there. If you want to smoke, pay your healthcare in advance and pay the tax. EVERY other state (that's over 300 million other people) have found it to be totally acceptable for the smokers to pay more in cigarrette tax with out harming the sales of cigarettes.

Get with the program South Carolina. The days are coming when the population growth will end and with it all of the easy financial windfalls that come with a rising population...and when that day comes, the really hard decisions will have to be made and everyone will wish this harmless tax was increased much sooner.

[Zoe Nicholson]

i hate him!!!!!!!!!!!!
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYANDZ NOW I SAID MY ABC'S NEXT TIME WON'T YOU COUNT WITH ME?!?!?!?

[tai]

Ummm... how many of you posters actually understood what the Governor is actually saying when he means "double tax increase?" Basically, the cigarette tax bill is going to increase the eligibility threshold requirements for Medicaid. If the cigarette tax revenue is able to offset the costs for the newly eligible, then the state is fine. However, if (1) the number eligible increases faster than projected (which is a strong possibility, given the recession) or (2) the costs for the newly entitled increases faster than projected (Did anyone notice what happened with the Medicare Plan D projections?), then the increased costs will have to borne out of general revenues. Which of course means less for schools, salaries, etc. Who actually think this stuff out? If you want the bill to pass then make the cigarette tax pay for the ENTIRE costs of the new enrollees. Otherwise, this cigarette tax just becomes a politically expedient doorway to other taxes.

[LexWolf]

Good thing we have a governor who actually thinks through these things, rather than the preceding kneejerk posters.

[CH Mueller]

The cigarette tax increase is needed, how its spent is another matter, just like the Lottery funds, the legislators have plans for said monies not necessarily tied to what was/is intended. The $300 cap on sales of vehicles should be raised as well. $50000 car and only $300 SC sales tax....lmao $6000 car is truly hard to locate- maybe it might have wheels even..

[robin parker]

why is it that smokers have to be the target..i don't understand why no one has yet to raise the tax on beer and acholol ..is it because most of them drink..don't it make sense that if you raise the tax on beer and acholol that just mabe ..just maybe their would not be as many dui's and traffic deaths related to drinking and driving..i rather be around a smoker than a drinker..at least when someone smokes they are sober and won't go out and drive a car and kill or hurt someone..

[CW]

In response to the last several posts:
Real quick--Second hand smoke kills people--it's a medical fact that it's harmful and toxic, why have so many cities across the country instated smoking bans?

The cigarette tax legislation stipulates that the money will be spent on a combination of smoking cessation programs, Medicaid/SCHIP expansion, premium assistance to purchase health insurance, support for the high-risk insurance pool, and a study committee to examine access to healthcare. It's only a double tax to Sanford because it doesn't call for a reduction in the income tax. We can't keep cutting taxes in the face of a recession. Taxes pay for many services we need, and now smokers, who disproportionately burden our health care system, might pay more of their share. And heads up--just because you're "eligible" doesn't mean you get Medicaid--Our administration has ensured that it will be most difficult to secure this form of public insurance. As Medicaid enrollment decreases, the number of uninsured South Carolinians increases and there is no money to provide health care services to this population. And the number of Medicaid eligible people has been decreasig. And don't forget that expansions of Medicaid and SCHIP will bring increased federal revenue into SC.

[T Hyatt]

Do I understand this correctly? An increase of taxes on cigarettes that are being increasingly banned from being smoked but is being relied on to pay for an expanded medical plan? With the jump in prices ($5.00 a carton) and the inability for smokers to enjoy their habit, will it be long before the number of smokers to decrease? What happens to the funded program when the remaining smokers' taxes are not enough to meet the needed revenue for the program?

[Carolina Politics]

Praise God for Mark Sanford and his fiscal sanity. It’s unfortunate it doesn’t rub off on the rest of his party. I just pointed out these same criticisms in a post of my own the other day. This will inevitably lead to a larger tax increase down the road. Every member of the Senate who voted for this voted for a future tax increase as well.

[JimT]

Yep, they voted for a future tax increase as well. Good on 'em. Maybe they get the connection between a state that offers services people need and want and the need to raise revenue to provide them. Being at the bottom of the rung on taxes isn't the end all, be all that some of you think it's cracked up to be.

[John]

Sanford just wants to privatize all agencies of the state.

[Bob]

Sanford is on the VP list for McCain???????UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!!

[CH Mueller]

Yea Sanford is on the VP list for McCain, and to think if McCain became incapacitated what that would mean....