With our state's projected $480 million budget shortfall for the current fiscal year (FY 2008-2009) and with the SC General Assembly convening tomorrow, there is a real likelihood that South Carolina state government will re-consider raising the tax on a pack of cigarettes NOW (this week).
Please contact your House member and your Senator ASAP -- and tell them both:
- To support raising the SC state cigarette tax AS HIGH AS POSSIBLE.
- For example: a 93-cent increase in our state's per-pack cigarette tax will generate just over $300 million in new state revenue
- That the national average for state cigarette tax is now $1.20 PER PACK.
- That the first $2 million of new state cigarette tax revenues should go to reinstating youth tobacco-use prevention-education programs and SC Quitline cessation-support services that went unfunded for this fiscal year when H. 3567 was negated by Governor Sanford's veto in June 2008.
- "An ounce of prevention [surely] is worth a pound of cure" -- $1 spent to prevent tobacco use from starting saves $16 in subsequent health care costs
- That all remaining new state cigarette tax revenues should go toward maintaining the budgets of state programs that currently are:
- Paying for the direct health care costs caused by adult cigarette smoking in our state; and/or
- Helping to enforce state laws that prohibit cigarette sales to underage youth throughout our state.
- To be prepared to override Governor Sanford's veto, if implemented this time around
REMEMBER -- state budget action will happen this week -- so call without delay and make your voice heard NOW !!!
Dum Spiro Spero,
Oscar
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1 comment:
Why would school district 3 push for a higher tax and sit by and let lottery money be used for higher education? Just to give you some facts and figures, read up. In 2006 the lottery made $1,144 million dollars. In 2007 it made $988.20 million. SC budget short fall for 2008-2009 is $480 million. Does this add up to you? Sure it does when 75%-80% of this money goes to higher education. Does this add up when we are amonge the highest drop out rate in the nation. With the kind of money this lottery brings in SC could be one of the highest performers in education in the nation. Forget trying to push for a higher tax, do us all a favor and push for lottery reform. Contact Shane Martin, he thinks it is a great idea, oh Lanny Littlejohn does to but he says it would be hard to make it happen. Anything worth having is worth fighting for Lanny. Renee Alexander
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