Tobacco-Free York County group

Please take note -- SCETV's "Piedmont Politics" this week discusses the
timely legislative topic of South Carolina's lowest-in-the-nation cigarette
tax.

As you are probably already aware, "Piedmont Politics" (with the venerable
Terry Plumb hosting) airs Sundays at 3:30 PM, and again Monday at 5:30 PM,
on Rock Hill Cable Channel 15 and airwaves-broadcast Channel 30 (WNSC).
a.. http://www.scetv.org/television/regionals/Regionals_Schedule.cfm

b.. Since this Sunday [May 11th] is Mother's Day, then maybe you can catch
it on Monday (or record it, TIVO-it, etc.)
Humbly, I must admit that I am Terry Plumb's guest discussant for this
week's program. I feel I did have a good opportunity to:
a.. emphasize the "common sense" aspects of a meaningful increase (at
least 50 cents, if not 93 cents) in our state's cigarette tax
b.. highlight the remaining significant political process "hurdles" that
still must be overcome for even a 30-cent increase to be enacted this year
c.. congratulate the SC Senate Finance Committee on their provision for
recurring, dedicated, state funding of both smoking cessation services and
youth / young-adult smoking prevention education support
Hopefully "a few more" South Carolina citizens will be better informed on
the cigarette tax debate, and be in contact with their SC House member
and/or SC Senator [ please see vote listing below ] and/or Governor Sanford
over the next few weeks, as a result.

"Dum Spiro Spero",
Dr. Dave Keely

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Thursday, 08 May 2008
How they voted on the cigarette tax
Here's the Senate vote to pass H.3567, which increases cigarette taxes by 50
cents per pack, with half the revenue going to expand Medicaid coverage, and
half to give tax credits to low-income workers to help them purchase medical
insurance.

Passage of the bill (H.3567):
Ayes 33; Nays 11; Abstain 1

AYES
Alexander Anderson Ceips
Cleary Cromer Drummond
Elliott Fair Ford
Gregory Hayes Hutto
Jackson Knotts Land *
Leatherman Leventis Lourie
Malloy Martin Matthews
McGill O'Dell Patterson *
Pinckney Rankin Reese
Scott Setzler Sheheen *
Short Thomas Williams
Total--33

NAYS
Campsen Courson Grooms
Hawkins Massey McConnell
Peeler Ritchie Ryberg
Vaughn Verdin
Total--11

ABSTAIN
Bryant
Total--1

*These Senators were not present in the Chamber at the time the vote was
taken and the votes were recorded by leave of the Senate, with unanimous
consent.

Cindi, whom we can thank for looking up the above while I was in yet another
candidate interview, says other votes that might interest you would include:
1. Amendment P-1, to raise the cigarette tax by $1; tabled 31-13
2. Amendment P-4a, remove the provision that automatically increases the tax
each year by the rate of medical inflation. The Senate refused to table that
amendment 24-18, and then passed it on a voice vote. Senators who voted
"aye" voted to eliminate the inflation index.
These votes can be found in the Senate Journals of May 7 (P-1) and May 8
(P-4a). Go to http://www.scstatehouse.net/html-pages/sjournal.htm to find
the Journals, and then search for the amendments.)

Posted by Brad Warthen at 10:59 AM in Health, How They Voted, Legislature,
Priorities, South Carolina, Taxes
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