ALERT VERMONT, TAX PROPOSAL 92%

[Enso]

fussin about 92% tax.... how many of yall said to yourself that you would never pay more than XXX$ for a pack of ciggies???
I said I wasnt going to pay more than 2$ a pack... the last pack I bought was nearly 5$... ( now they are closer to 6.50$)

taxes is not the answer... are they taxing booze more also? if these kids are getting the stuff, maybe the sellers need to be the ones in the spot light, they know better than to sell to minors.

A pack is 11 +/- around here.
I’m sure they will increase fines for business that get caught as part of governor Scott’s sweeping revenue- generating plan. However, it would take effort to catch them so they’ll probably just try to tax everything without regard for the collateral damage.

 

[ScottP]

A pack is 11 +/- around here.
I’m sure they will increase fines for business that get caught as part of governor Scott’s sweeping revenue- generating plan. However, it would take effort to catch them so they’ll probably just try to tax everything without regard for the collateral damage.

That's how you know it's NOT about the kids. If it was they would be focused on those selling to kids or buying for them. Raising taxes didn't prevent kids from smoking did it?

The fact is they are so dependent on the tax money that they NEED a certain amount of every generation to pick up smoking.

 

[CMD-Ky]

When a politician sees a problem that politician goes about restricting the freedom of and punishing everyone who had nothing to do with creating the problem. Some sell to the under-aged, tax the hell out of everyone.

 

[zoiDman]

I just heard about this on Public Radio on the way home. Haven’t had a chance to read up on it yet, but from scanning a couple of articles, it’s clear that our legislators in Vermont have no idea about e-cigarettes/vaping. The governor wants to keep ecigs “out of the hands of kids” by placing a 92% tax on all devices and eliquid, including online sales. (If they really wanted to keep nicotine out of they hands of kids they should just ban all the juul’s, imho)
This is bad news for me, I’ve been off tobacco for two years and I don’t buy fancy devices but I do indulge in nice eliquid... 92% tax is steep! Can they even regulate every drop of eliquid and every piece of hardware coming into the state?
If anyone has a better understanding of what is proposed and how it will affect adult ecig users, I’d really like to hear about it. I’ll keep reading what I can find about it in the meantime.

What is the House Number(s) for this Legislation?

And is this New Legislation? Or are they Re-Starting Old Legislation?

 

[Mordacai]

ScottP, you're right it's all about money.

Because if it forces people to start smoking again due to costs and availability of vaping gear and consumables, they'll generate money from tobacco sales and healthcare.

Remember the old joke.

Spoiler: How can you tell a politician is lying?

Their lips are moving.

 

[Enso]

What is the House Number(s) for this Legislation?

And is this New Legislation? Or are they Re-Starting Old Legislation?

I’m not totally sure it has a number, or how I would go about finding it. I heard this in a budget proposal speech. I think they’ve tried this before, but the fear wasn’t sufficiently stoked. Now that juuls are ubiquitous At has station around here, and I guess popular with young folk people are ready to put on their outrage hats.
It looks pretty bleak, here is an excerpt from the Burlington free press:

“The governor called for applying the 92 percent tobacco tax to e-cigarettes and vaping products, which would raise about $1 million. The audience erupted into applause when he announced the proposal, which has passed the House and Senate in past years but never became law.

Scott said the tax would mitigate health risks associated with nicotine addiction.

"Our kids must know the dangers of these behaviors, and we should stop it in its tracks," Scott said. ”

My favorite thing about his proposal is that it includes relaxing or nullifying the estate tax. So taxes for people who tend to earn less and breaks for people who tend to earn more... at least that’s the way it looks to me.

 

[zoiDman]

I’m not totally sure it has a number, or how I would go about finding it. I heard this in a budget proposal speech. I think they’ve tried this before, but the fear wasn’t sufficiently stoked. Now that juuls are ubiquitous At has station around here, and I guess popular with young folk people are ready to put on their outrage hats.
It looks pretty bleak, here is an excerpt from the Burlington free press:

“The governor called for applying the 92 percent tobacco tax to e-cigarettes and vaping products, which would raise about $1 million. The audience erupted into applause when he announced the proposal, which has passed the House and Senate in past years but never became law.

Scott said the tax would mitigate health risks associated with nicotine addiction.

"Our kids must know the dangers of these behaviors, and we should stop it in its tracks," Scott said. ”

My favorite thing about his proposal is that it includes relaxing or nullifying the estate tax. So taxes for people who tend to earn less and breaks for people who tend to earn more... at least that’s the way it looks to me.

The reason I asked is I remember seeing that 92% Wholesale Tax amount in Vermont before. And Rep. George Till sounded vaguely familiar.

Representative George W. Till

But when I did a Legislative search for "Cigarettes", what I found were Old Bills.

Bill Status H.178

Bill Status H.179

Bill Status H.706

 

[Enso]

Found it: H.47, George Till, who apparently lives one town over from me.

Bill Status H.47

 

[BrotherBob]

Found it: H.47, George Till, who apparently lives one town over from me.
Bill Status H.47

I'm not sure what final wording your state will come up with. As I understand in CA :
"The new, higher tobacco tax does not apply to vaping devices. But it does apply to any other vaping products that contain nicotine, including e-liquids."
If a device is sold with nic e liquid, it's taxable.
Could alway do what they do in many countries, buy zero e liquid and add your own nic. If these law makers ever learn what vaping is composed of, us vapers may be in real trouble.

 

[Enso]

As I understand it currently, they want to tax everything wether it has nicotine in it or not. Who knows what they’ll come up with. Governor Scott is desperate to get revenue for various programs while keeping his promise to not raise property tax.

 

[zoiDman]

Found it: H.47, George Till, who apparently lives one town over from me.

Bill Status H.47

That looks Identical to H.178 that Till introduced in early 2017. Only that Now it has Many More Co-Sponsors.

What has been the Response on B&M's to this proposed legislation?

 

[Enso]

What has been the Response on B&M's to this proposed legislation?

No idea. I haven’t read anything that mentions them. We only have a few and I rarely patronize them.

 

[zoiDman]

No idea. I haven’t read anything that mentions them. We only have a few and I rarely patronize them.

If people are going to get anywhere, they Need the Support of Retailers.

You Need them to get the Word Out.
You Need them to show that Small Businesses are going to be Unfairly and Adversely Impacted.
And You Need them to Band Together to mount a Legal Challenge.