Legislators say cigarette tax increase won’t happen

Last week, Attorney General Tom Miller called for an increase in the cigarette tax as a way to boost funding for anti-smoking programs. Republicans who control the legislature’s debate agenda aren’t interested. Libby Jacobs of Des Moines is the Republican Whip in the House, who says she doesn’t hear a groundswell for raising taxes.And Senate Republican Leader Stewart Iverson of Dows says no to the idea..Iverson says the legislature is not going to raise taxes. Many other states raised cigarette taxes in efforts to balance the books, and most of the states surrounding Iowa have higher taxes on cigarettes and other tobacco products.