California Rejects $1.00 Tax on Smokers

Author's note: Interestingly, California's current tax on cigarettes, at 89 cents, is one of the lowest in the country, and nearly $4 cheaper then my home state's tax (New York).

Proposition 29, or the "Tax on Cigarettes for Cancer Research" ballot measure failed yesterday in California by the slimmest of possible margins. The proposal would have added an additional $1.00 excise fee to every pack of cigarettes bought within the state, which was heavily opposed by civil rights libertarians and tobacco companies.

Proposition 29 results:
Yes - 1,894,871 - 49.2%
No - 1,958,047 - 50.8%


When you have nearly four million people voting, it doesn't get closer then that.

The county-by-county results are even more interesting, as 69% of counties voted no - including Los Angeles, Sacramento and Ventura - none of which can be accused of being conservative or libertarian enclaves of anti-government regulations, except for when it comes to smoking, apparently. The only area that whole heartedly voted yes was the Bay Area... What a surprise.

Although I am not a smoker, usually lighting up one cigarette a month if that, I am greatly opposed to the continuous government and public health assault on a segment of Americans just because they happen to enjoy tobacco, which one is one of this country's most historic and important cash crops, and is a 110% legal product.

Not to mention, but the last thing anybody needs right now is more taxation and regulation in California. Advocates are giddy over the estimated $750 million this proposal would bring into the state treasury. I proudly have the opposite viewpoint - the Golden Coast needs to lay off their citizenry and stuff all of it, because if the current migration trends keep up - there wont be anyone left but hippies and illegals in the state.

What say you?