March 15, 2010
Utah Lawmakers OK $1 per pack cigarette tax hike
The Utah Legislature has given final approval to a $1 per pack increase to the state's cigarette tax, sending the measure to Gov. Gary Herbert. Bill Phelps, spokesman for Altria Client Services, the parent company of Philip Morris, said that the tax will impose a hardship on the 9 percent of Utahns that smoke.
"Taxpayers, especially in today's economy, are seeing what they have to do to manage their own budgets and they realize they have to live in their means and they need to cut costs," Phelps said. "Citizens expect their legislators to run the state like they run their households and cut costs when necessary and not raise taxes every time they need money."
Utah's tax was 69.5 cents per pack, ranking 38th in the country, including Guam and Puerto Rico, according to figures from the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Under a tight budget, some lawmakers say the $43 million the tax would generate in the coming fiscal year makes it an attractive source of funding.
Raising it to $1.70 per pack would give Utah the 18th highest tax, and a higher rate than any of the surrounding states except Arizona. Sen. Howard Stephenson said the increase would just drive money into bordering states like Wyoming with lower tobacco taxes.
"We have seen cross-border activity stimulated in the past," Stephenson said. "We will be sending more and more of it to our neighboring states."
Cigarette Taxes
10 Comments on Utah Lawmakers OK $1 per pack cigarette tax hike »
June 6, 2010
m320753 @ 5:03 am:
ha ha ha. good old utah had to raise the tax on smokes. it was either that or start taxing bigamists
May 26, 2011
Same day loans @ 1:01 pm:
Usually, in Utah education is not at the top of the list for funding and generally it gets cut in some form or another. In spite of taxing a small group of people that will only get smaller over time, which means revenue goes down, begin taxing soda pop or fast food something that taxes everyone and is also very bad for your health.
June 29, 2011
Loans for people with bad credit @ 10:18 am:
Generally, in Utah education is not at the top of the list for funding and in general it gets cut in some form or another. In spite of taxing a small group of people that will only get smaller over time, which means revenue goes down, start taxing soda pop or fast food something that taxes everyone and is also very bad for your health.
July 19, 2011
Web Design Company @ 10:14 am:
I really enjoyed this article. It is always nice when you read some thing that is not only informative but entertaining. Excellent! cigar must be banned na rather than implementing sme thing else..
August 4, 2011
Family Office Singapore @ 12:40 pm:
There revenue is not that much which is the reason that the education system is also suffering
October 31, 2011
laptops @ 5:44 pm:
The public has been blasted for decades with propaganda regarding the dangers of smoking and how chemicals contained in cigarettes are harmful to your health.
November 11, 2011
Australian Taxation Services @ 11:48 am:
Hike in the price of cigarette is really helpful for government as well, now government will get more money in tax an people will smoke less.Both are beneficial options.
November 16, 2011
Multi Family Offices Asia @ 8:46 am:
Cigarette hike is really very impressive step to lower down the smoking and if they does this it will be extra beneficial for the government as government will get more money as taxes.
November 23, 2011
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November 28, 2011
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