Recent economic shortfalls facing the Commonwealth of Virginia have led lawmakers toonce again consider raising the cigarette tax in an effort to increase state income.
Last week, Sen. Emmett W. Hanger Jr., R-24th, suggested the possibility of raising the present 2.5 cent per pack statewide tax to a 30 cent rate. Virginia's current cigarette tax policy is the lowest in the nation.
Hanger has said that the 27.5 cent hike will raise state and local incomes an additional $117 million per year.
Current Virginia law allows cities and towns to impose unlimited local cigarette taxes. Only two counties, Fairfax and Arlington, currently tax cigarettes, though the law caps the tax in these counties at 5 cents per pack.
Hanger is not the only lawmaker looking at cigarettes as a source of additional income.
Gov. Mark R. Warner will discuss a cigarette tax as part of an upcoming tax proposal, according to spokesperson Ellen Qualls.
"The governor will be proposing tax reform in late November," Qualls said. "The tax reform will include a number of different elements in how we can make our tax system more reflective of a modern economy."
Qualls also said Warner was open to a cigarette tax increase last year given legislative support from the General Assembly, however, sufficient support was never generated.
Experts on the issue say they doubt that such tax increases will be passed.
"Virginians won't think much of it -- very few of these tax increases will be adopted," Politics Prof. Larry J. Sabato said. "On the whole, it will take a major effort to get them passed -- I wouldn't spend my hard-earned money betting on it. It's far from certain that this will be taken up."
Sabato also said cigarette tax increases could be years away from being signed into law.
"Currently the odds don't favor it," Sabato said. "It's bound to produce additional revenue, it might discourage smoking slightly, but it's just a tiny piece of the whole [tax reform] puzzle."
Fourth-year College student Katie Ketchum said she sees the tax increase as inevitable.
"I think they are going to keep increasing cigarette taxes," Ketchum said. "The government needs to make money for everything it's going to do."
Yet, Ketchum said she disagrees with lawmaker's logic.
"I'm not sure why they are not adding taxes to red meat and fatty foods, since that is also the cause of health problems in the United States such as obesity," she said.
Ketchum added that the possible 30 cent per pack tax would have little effect on her smoking habits.
"If the government decides they want to suck money out of me, it really doesn't make that much of a difference," she said. "It's not like it hasn't happened in the past."
Erin Frackleton, Cancer Center Chair for Fighting, Overcoming, and Responding to Cancer Everywhere, said she generally supports the idea of a cigarette tax increase, but with reservations.
"As an advocate, I think it is important to discourage smoking," Frackleton said. "The tax increase would serve as a deterrent for youth, who are more sensitive to the price increase. On the flip side, it's a very large tax increase -- as a person from southwest Virginia, I know tobacco is important to the economy."
Frackleton said she is not convinced that a tax hike alone will matter.
"Without an increase in awareness and anti-smoking campaigns, the tax won't solve the problem," she said.
Read More
U.Va. Faculty Senate overwhelmingly adopts a no confidence vote in Board of Visitors
By Xander Tilock | 21 hours ago"The Faculty Senate expresses no confidence in the Board of Visitors for not protecting the University and its president from outside interference," the resolution read.
Faculty Senate Executives hear from Rector Sheridan and Vice Rector Wilkinson
By Xander Tilock and Grace Traxler | YesterdayRectors were in attendance for part of Wednesday’s emergency meeting and were asked about the interim president selection process.
Student leaders weigh the future of self-governance after Ryan's departure
By Brendon Bordwine | 3 days agoThe University has a historical tradition of student self-governance, which allows students to take part in decision-making processes.
