• Home
  • News
    • Politics & Government
    • Business & Economy
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Radio Iowa Poll
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support Page
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters

Radio Iowa

Iowa's Radio News Network

You are here: Home / News / Legislative leader predicts increase in cigarette tax

Legislative leader predicts increase in cigarette tax

January 19, 2007 By admin

The chairman of the Iowa Senate’s tax-writing committee predicts the Iowa Legislature will pass a 40- to 60-cent increase in the state tax on a pack of cigarettes. But Senator Joel Bolkcom, a Democrat from Iowa City, does not expect lawmakers to hike the state tax on gasoline.

“I think Iowans expect us to do our homework and make sure that when we go to them for resources for things like roads or other services that they depend on that we’ve done their due diligence and make sure that we really need that money,” Bolkcom says. “That process hasn’t taken place yet.” Bolkcom admits a disproportionate share of low income Iowans smoke, and they will bear a heavier tax burden if the state tobacco tax goes up.

“I think there are concerns about the regressive nature of those taxes, but let’s be clear: the tobacco tax is something that has broad support across the state,” Bolkcom says. Making smoking more costly will discourage teenage smoking, according to Bolkcom. He says the health benefits outweigh any concerns about cigarette bootlegging across state lines if Iowa increases the tax on a pack of cigarettes.

“We currently have inequity now. Illinois, for example, has a tobacco tax of 98 cents. Ours is 36 cents. We have people from Illinois currently coming into Iowa,” Bolkcom says. “…We’re always going to have the border issues.” Bolkcom made his comments during taping of the ‘Iowa Press’ program that airs tonight on Iowa Public Television.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: News Tagged With: Democratic Party, Taxes, Tobacco

Featured Stories

Reynolds signs her ‘school choice’ bill into law

Governor Reynolds touts 2024 Iowa Caucuses in Inaugural Address

University of Iowa grad presiding over U.S. House Speaker vote

Iowan who was oldest person in the U.S. dies

Iowa Lottery to start making some payments via debit cards

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

Iowa State names new receivers coach

No. 2 Iowa visits No. 1 Penn State in wrestling dual Friday night

Iowa’s Clark brings increased exposure to women’s basketball

No. 18 Iowa State women visit TCU

Northern Iowa men host Valparaiso

More Sports

Archives

Copyright © 2023 ยท Learfield News & Ag, LLC