Call to Action! New Mexico Tax on E-Cigarettes -- HB428

[Brewtus]

EVERYONE IN NM PLEASE PASS THIS ON:

Here is a link to the full bill... HB428

This bill would:

HB428 would redefine "tobacco product" under New Mexico law to include e-cigarettes and dissolvabletobacco. HB428 would also increase increase the state’s tax on "other tobacco products" (including e-cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, and dissolvable tobacco) from 25% to 53% of product value.

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Please call or write the members of the House Health, Government & Indian Affairs Committee below:

What to say:
1. You oppose HB428 because it would redefine the state's definition of "tobacco product" to include new life-saving products like electronic cigarettes.

2. Tell your story on how switching to an e-cigarette or smokeless tobacco has changed your life.

3. Explain that the purpose of increasing cigarette taxes has been to cover governmental healthcare expenditure caused by smoking and to discourage smoking. But since electronic cigarettes and dissolvables are 98-99% less hazardous than cigarettes, there is no fiscal or public health justification for such a hefty tax.

4. Since many/most e-cigarette sales are made online, enactment of this legislation would devastate brick-and-mortar e-cigarette retailers in NM and destroy e-cigarette companies in NM, as they could no longer compete against out-of-state and international online suppliers.

5. Many smokers who switch to less hazardous electronic cigarettes do so because e-cigarettes are less expensive than cigarettes. Increasing the costs of e-cigarettes to that of cigarettes would discourage many smokers from switching to e-cigarettes. It could also encourage some e-cigarette consumers to go back to cigarette smoking.

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Rep. James Roger Madalena (D-Chair)
373 Buffalo Hill Road
Jemez Pueblo, NM 87024
Capitol Phone: (505) 986-4840
Home Phone: (575) 834-7005
Email: james.madalena@nmlegis.gov

Rep. Nick L. Salazar (D-Vice Chair)
PO Box 1076
Ohkay Owingeh, NM 87566
Capitol Phone: (505) 986-4433
Office Phone: (505) 663-5849
Home Phone: (505) 852-4178
Email: nick.salazar@nmlegis.gov

Rep. Alonzo Baldonado (R)
PO Box 370
Los Lunas, NM 87031
Capitol Phone: (505) 986-4227
Office Phone: (505) 363-6214
Email: alonzo.baldonado@nmlegis.gov

Rep. Kelly K. Fajardo (R)
1125 North Molina
Belen, NM 87002
Capitol Phone: (505) 986-4220
Home Phone: (505) 573-0471
Email: kelly.fajardo@nmlegis.gov

Rep. Nate Gentry (R)
3716 Andrew Drive NE
Albuquerque, NM 87110
Capitol Phone: (505) 986-4757
Home Phone: (505) 508-0782
Email: natefornm@gmail.com

Rep. Yvette Herrell (R)
PO Box 4338
Alamogordo, NM 88311
Capitol Phone: (505) 986-4248
Home Phone: (575) 430-2113
Email: yherrell@yahoo.com

Rep. Emily Kane (D)
9817 Riverside Drive NW
Albuquerque, NM 87114
Capitol Phone: (505) 986-4464
Home Phone: (505) 890-4319
Email: emilykane4nm@gmail.com

Rep. Rodolpho "Rudy" S. Martinez (D)
PO Box 164
Bayard, NM 88023
Capitol Phone: (505) 986-4235
Office Phone: (575) 537-8609
Home Phone: (575)537-3105
Email: rodolpho.martinez@nmlegis.gov

Rep. Terry H. McMillan (R)
2001 E. Lohman Avenue No. 282
Las Cruces, NM 88001
Capitol Phone: (505) 986-4450
Office Phone: (575) 635-0534
Email: docmcmillan@gmail.com

Rep. Elizabeth "Liz" Thomson (D)
1216 Westerfeld Drive NE
Albuquerque, NM 87112
Capitol Phone: (505) 986-4255
Home Phone: (505) 239-1781
Email: liz.thomson@nmlegis.gov

Rep. Luciano "Lucky" Varela (D)
1709 Callejon Zenaida
Santa Fe, NM 87501
Capitol Phone: (505) 986-4320
Home Phone: (505) 982-1292
Email: lucky4st@msn.com

Comma delimited list:
james.madalena@nmlegis.gov, nick.salazar@nmlegis.gov, alonzo.baldonado@nmlegis.gov, kelly.fajardo@nmlegis.gov, natefornm@gmail.com, yherrell@yahoo.com, emilykane4nm@gmail.com, rodolpho.martinez@nmlegis.gov, docmcmillan@gmail.com, liz.thomson@nmlegis.gov, lucky4st@msn.com

Semicolon delimited list:
james.madalena@nmlegis.gov; nick.salazar@nmlegis.gov; alonzo.baldonado@nmlegis.gov; kelly.fajardo@nmlegis.gov; natefornm@gmail.com; yherrell@yahoo.com; emilykane4nm@gmail.com; rodolpho.martinez@nmlegis.gov; docmcmillan@gmail.com; liz.thomson@nmlegis.gov; lucky4st@msn.com

 

[Brewtus]

Well, we're boned....

I'm no politician, so I'm hoping someone can tell me I'm wrong here, but if I'm reading this PDF link correctly it looks like this bill PASSED!

http://www.nmlegis.gov/Sessions/13 Regular/bills/house/HB0428GU1.pdf

 

[bnrkwest]

Yikes! I hope this didn't really pass, but if it did, not good! bnrk

 

[Brewtus]

Ok, so as it turns out we (Myself and a few other local business owners, some customers and CASAA members) called the Tax & Revenue reps in Santa Fe and let them know our thoughts on the subject and ended up removing the reference to ecigs from the bill.

Now, I can't say it was from the calls and emails that everyone sent, but i'd like to hope that was the case. So for now, crisis averted.

 

[Moses195]

I missed this, but sure am glad they removed E-cigs!!

Dana

 

[babyk1352012]

So glad they took out ecigs, im in Washington state, and I love your company so far. It would be a shame to have to go elsewhere because I couldn't afford your states tax rate......eeeek 53%

 

[Brewtus]

So glad they took out ecigs, im in Washington state, and I love your company so far. It would be a shame to have to go elsewhere because I couldn't afford your states tax rate......eeeek 53%

I think it would have only applied to NM state residents, but believe me it would have put a serious HURT on our business to the point where we would have had to relocate. Which in a way is sad....I really wanted to move to Hawaii

 

[bnrkwest]

Great news, so glad ecigs are removed from the bill, good work! bnrk

 

[jazon1]

wow i missed this too! it would have devastated ecigs shops here,glad someone was on top of this i didnt even hear about it til now=(