Can we put Ro Stephens back in school?
A Republican lawmaker plans to call for a $1 per pack increase to Georgia’s tax on cigarettes.State Rep. Ron Stephens, of Savannah, will appear at a news conference Tuesday with advocates who support the increase. The call for the tobacco tax hike comes as the state wrestles with a budget shortfall expected to top $2 billion for the current fiscal year.
As you increase the taxes on a product, you decrease purchase of the product. Therefore, the rate of revenue generated by the product, even at an increased price, will decline over time putting you back in the position you were in before — needing money.
It’s economics 101, Rep. Stephens.
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Of course, the guy could just want to reduce the amount of cigarettes purchased … which really would not cause me a single tear.
On the other hand, I am also usually against regressive tax policy like sales taxes and lotteries, so it is hard to say. Soaking the little guy vs. not dealing with people that smell like diesel trucks…
no…this was expected.
Rather than doing something about the budget or about taxes, the GA GOP is scheming its way out of blame for the current budget crisis.
Lets see…here is the tobacco tax. Next we will probably have GOP legislators asking the governor to dip into the reserves, dip into the HOPE scholarship fund…or, my personal favorite, cut taxes even more (heavy sarcasm should be placed on this last option).
What should state Democrats do, on the other hand…nothing. Hold a big press conference maybe. Give the whole, “the majority Republican party is not allowing us to call hearings or to review our proposals in committee. Therefore, we leave it to them to fix the deficit they put us in” type of press conference.
Who is RO Stephens? Someone doesnt understand basic spellcheck
Some ONE doesn’t understand basic economics? That’s a very optimistic title.
Does anyone understand basic economics, the Federal Reserve, the totally un-Constitutional IRS, bail outs, depressions, and on and on….
How about if we put a tax on tattoos? Most of the folks who have them don’t vote.
(awaiting the tattoo lobbyist to launch)
Jenny,
Neither the Federal Reserve, nor the IRS is part of ANY “basic economics course.”
Bill
I vote and so do all my tattooed friends but we also work and pay taxes.
I’m still working on my basic economics thread. I don’t anticipate the IRS or abortion clinics to be part of it, but I’m sure I can count on Jenny to add extra material.
And would that be a yearly tax or a sales tax?
As you increase the taxes on a product, you decrease purchase of the product.
You’re assuming that the product being taxed is not a product that addicts its users more than cocaine, right?
If people buy less cigarettes … then good.
I have one tattoo already, am probably going to get another within the month, and I vote regularly…
I also know several people across the country who are very heavily tattooed and also both very active politically and vote regularly.
Besides, how are you going to tax all those prison tattoos?
UMBK:
Know any artists down in Albany?
UBMK:
Knowing our politicians, I’d say they’d be in favor of the yearly tax. After all, they don’t seem to think our property is actually ours, so why would they think our bodies are??
I don’t know of any artist in Albany. I had mine done at Biketoberfest in Daytona. Just where every good southern girl should go to get one.
Jenny: “Unconstitutional IRS”? Next tell us about those black helicopters you see.
Someone does not understand basic economics
You mean like the current and future occupants of the White House?
UMBK,
Sales tax. Isn’t it a “work of art?” People have to pay sales tax when they buy art, right?
you’re right, there’s already a tax on tattoos.
If people buy less cigarettes … then good.
I don’t disagree, but if you’re raising taxes to fund some program, like Stephens has suggested in the past, then you’ll have to come up with another means of funding.
It’s not as fun to talk about inelastic demand curves with respect to this sin tax, as opposed to the state wanting its own cover charge at strip clubs.
If this is about revenue generation, then be honest about it. Cigs have an inelastic demand curve, and you can increase revenues significantly with higher taxes on them.
Icarus is qualified to speak of econ if he is talking about the Elasticity of Demand. More Robitussen, we need that treatise.
I’m referring more towards black market sales and out of state buying which could effect projected revenues for programs funded by the tax and Decaturguy’s claim about less people buying cigarettes.
Please don’t accuse me of being dishonest again.
I wasn’t referring to anyone in particular, but much more to the notion that it is OK to raise sin taxes because you’re trying to curb the use of something with negative externalities.
The only thing I will accuse you of is the occasional need to lighten up.
The good ole bible belt, always knows what is best for others.
(yes I’m being sarcastic)
Actually, Erick, it fits the bill quite nicely unless you support permanently increasing taxation revenue. The increase would boost revenues immediately and signficantly. Revenues decline as the budget crises subsides over a couple of years, and the state citizens are healthier because of less smoking and fewer smokers at the end of it all.
Gawd, I finally agree with B Simon. Maybe tax the tatoo removal, too. That bidness is going to boom when that skin starts sagging, or the divorce decree sets in.
The IRS just collects taxes. We have always had some bureau of government bean counters to collect taxes, long before the income tax. Also, we had recessions and depressions long before a federal reserve system. Yeah, I know I’m late to the argument. Man, scary, Boyreporter and I are on the same page.
I mean how much would you pay to have your ex wife/husband’s name removed?
And is Jenny real or a GOPeach clone? Inquiring minds want to know.
I actually know Jenny in real life. We have many fun discussions off PP. I’m not sure if GOPeach really exists but on the computer.
Yeah, nothing better than a conversation about fetuses.
Hey, we were all fetuses once, even GoPeach.
Shep makes one of the best arguments for being pro-choice right there.
So now Farris is in favor of 180th trimester abortions?
Icarus – yeah, I’m up from the 30th trimester standard I’ve held since my youth.
Jenny is not a clone of Peach. Peach is a mean snake and a lying sack of cow-dung who could die tomorrow and I doubt anyone on PP would shed one freaking tear.
Jenny is just dedicated to her issues and seeks to inform you of what those issues are. She’s not a liar. She’s just a bit…passionate about them.
Comments for this post will be closed on 7 March 2009.
Hurry-up, Folks! Get your comments in soon!
Gee, Bill. Thanks for the compliments. I’m quite real. You can find me on Facebook: Jennifer Renee Hodges.
The IRS does a wee bit more than just collect basic taxes. But that isn’t really one of my “issues.”
And we all know Jenny,
you have issues.
Pray for me.
Maybe we could call the U.S. Foreign Policy 180th trimester abortions….yeah, sell it as Choice and Freedom rather than expanding Democracy. I think you people are on to something.
(Heheheheh…Jenny made a funny one.)
“A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine. ”
Thomas Jefferson
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