The children be darned! Tobacco taxes.

[blue]

I and many other tobacco users are quiting, and not for our health. We are quiting because of the 158% tax hike on tobacco products. The increase in tax is to fund the SCHIP program for children.

The POTUS promised he wouldnt raise taxes on the poor, news flash, most smokers and tobacco users are poor!

Screw the kids, Im quiting. I allready have to pay for kids to go to school even though I dont have any of my own. Im damn sure not going to pay anymore.

I do not feel represented tax wise.

[joycenalex]

when people quit smoking, there is less bladder cancer, less head and neck cancers, less lung cancers, less heart diseases, less vascular diseases, win for the children! the children who will grow up with less ear infections from second hand smoke in their homes. less demand on health care all around....a good thing right?

[happylabs]

I see this as a good thing. Smoking is very bad for you and your pets as well, as well as the environment. You can do it!

[joycenalex]

blue, i've been going around and around on this in my head and in conversation with friends.i don't smoke so that sin tax isn't paid for by me, but i do have an alcoholic drink from time to time and i pay that sin tax. i don't have kids either, so i get no direct benefit from my school taxes on my property, yet those school taxes SOMEONE else paid for made my schooling possible, that schooling made it possible for me to be a tax paying and productive citizen. kids got no choice in who their parents are. that kid deserves the same chance you got and i got. keeping kids healthy is a good thing, maybe they won't smoke, eat cheese doodles by the bagful, shoot speed, maybe one of those kids who gets that health insurance in alaska won't get tetanus cause the kids' parents could get those childhood vaccines cause of the health insurance for them.
i'm downright peeved when i make that tax payment, and i crab up a storm, but it's my paying back for what someone paid for me when i was a kid.

[Edwina's Secretary]

kids got no choice in who their parents are. that kid deserves the same chance you got and i got. i'm downright peeved when i make that tax payment, and i crab up a storm, but it's my paying back for what someone paid for me when i was a kid.

I do not have children. I am self-employed and pay taxes that would make the eyes of many roll back in their heads.

I consider it the price for living in a civilized society.

I consider the portion that goes for schools and parks and other "kid stuff" pay back as joycenalex says.

I also consider it an investment. Kids who are in school or at the park or after school programs are not breaking into my house or spraying graffitti on my building or getting knocked up.

They are getting an education so that when I am retired they can pay for things...roads, police, firefighters...and yes...social security.

[lvpets2002]

I am so glad I quit smoking years ago.. I sure Do Not miss it one bit.. You will feel so much better & food will taste so differant..

[Catty1]

Hey, blue - good on ya. {{{{hugs}}}}

And the money you save can go to YOUR favourite charity. Bonus!

[Pinot's Mom]

I also quit smoking many years ago, thank goodness.
I also have no (human) children.
I also pay taxes that would make your head spin (has anyone ever heard of Howard County, MD? Look it up - you'll be amazed) - BUT we have the best schools in the area (at least), there are families from Japan coming to this county to send their kids to school. This translates into retention of higher real estate values, even in a bad economy, and really good county programs. That's another part of the investment - it's generally a better quality of life where your taxes are higher. BEFORE ANYONE LANDS ON ME ABOUT THAT STATEMENT - I said GENERALLY - there are always exceptions.
I also consider these costs an investment.

[pomtzu]

I also quit smoking many years ago, thank goodness.
I also have no (human) children.
I also pay taxes that would make your head spin (has anyone ever heard of Howard County, MD? Look it up - you'll be amazed) - BUT we have the best schools in the area (at least), there are families from Japan coming to this county to send their kids to school. This translates into retention of higher real estate values, even in a bad economy, and really good county programs. That's another part of the investment - it's generally a better quality of life where your taxes are higher. BEFORE ANYONE LANDS ON ME ABOUT THAT STATEMENT - I said GENERALLY - there are always exceptions.
I also consider these costs an investment.

I'm rather familiar with the Ellicott City/Columbia areas, so I know exactly what you're talking about! It's a beautiful area, and I can understand your higher taxes to keep it that way. And yes - saying that it's an investment is very true indeed.

[carole]

Well i alway's thought no matter how high the taxes go, people will still continue to smoke, so Blue you have given me hope that one day my son and his girlfriend will quit too , i know they really want to, and are saving for a house, just think how much quicker that will happen if they do.

Anything that makes people quit is always a good thing in my mind, and i speak as a former smoker, having given up twenty eight years ago, and never gone back. YOU CAN DO IT and good for you no matter what the reason, you will benefit in the long run.

Yes well all of us pay taxes that we get no benefit from, but that is what living in a civilised country means, IMO, Edwina's Secretary put it well, my thoughts are along the lines of her's.

[Edwina's Secretary]

II also pay taxes that would make your head spin (has anyone ever heard of Howard County, MD?

Now I am confused. My brother keeps telling me that about Montegomery County Maryland!

[Hellow]

Gee, thanks.

[DJFyrewolf36]

I quit years ago but hubby smokes, immagine my suprise when the prices doubled overnight! I told him if he needed further convincing that quitting was a good idea this is it!

[Twisterdog]

I quit smoking on January 1st of this year, and have not had a puff since. I smoked for twenty years.

And I LOVED to smoke. LOVED it, LOVED cigarettes. Smoking was one of my favorite things to do. Sad, but true. And I quit. It sounds like an old cliche, but seriously, "If I can do it, anyone can do it."

I agree with Edwina's Secretary about taxes. Other people's children will someday run this world, when we are old and feeble and helpless. Wouldn't you rather they be educated rulers?

Quitting sucks, not going to lie to you. But being a non-smoker? It's wonderful!

[blue]

Gee, thanks.

No problem.

AK has been throwing more and more money at education and it isnt helping. More money hasnt been the answer for many years now. Im glad I dont own a house in Anchorage where the property tax is only getting worse.

Raising taxes on the poor to pay for the Schip program is hypocritical, but "Its for the children" so I guess that makes it OK.

This investment idea is nonsense. It is not the taxpayers responsibility to pay for after school activities for kids, at least it wasnt when was a kid. Why not give tax breaks so 1 of the parents can work part time and be home when the kids are home? My own mother as a single mom paid for after school activities for my brother and me, and she busted her a$$ to do it. I guess we no longer expect people to take care of their own anymore.

If any of you want to pay increased taxes to live in a nicer area that is your choice. I chose to live on the edge of the boondocks and pay less taxes.

I hope the new taxes cause more people to quit so this scam fails.

Going from a tax of $1.50 per pound of loose tobacco to $25 per pound is ridiculous.