Tobacco tax won't solve La.'s budget problems
Re: Willie Stewart, "La. should raise its tobacco tax," April 9
It's always the answer for some people. "Let's raise taxes, that'll stop them."
It doesn't matter that it's tobacco, or alcohol, or anything else, raising taxes is not the answer.
Mr. Stewart claims that 40,800 people will stop smoking if tobacco taxes are raised $1.05 per pack. Do you really think that $1 a pack will make people stop smoking? They will only stop when they are ready to stop, or they die.
Then, Mr. Stewart says that by raising the tax, $231 million will be created. Well, if you say people will quit smoking, then how do you raise $231 million? If people stop smoking, then it seems that the tax already coming in would actually be lower.
The problem is not solved by raising taxes. There is more than enough revenue in the state of Louisiana without raising a single tax for anything. The problem is cutting wasteful spending and creating welfare reform and tax reform. People aren't "entitled" to benefits despite what they think.
And if someone wants to smoke, in a designated smoking area or their home, why should they be punished for it? Tobacco, the last time I checked, is perfectly legal.
What happened to rights in America? Why must people continue to try to "outlaw" something?
It's their body, if they want to smoke a cigarette, and they want to take on the health risk to their body, why should YOU try to stop them? Second-hand smoke, I understand that argument. That is why there are areas for smokers.
If you are driving down the road, and you are texting on your phone, that is dangerous to you as well as others. So maybe we should raise cell phone taxes "» let's say $4 a month. Maybe 40,000 people will cancel their cell phones. And think of all the tax revenue.
- Rob Cagley