Ohio Gov. Kasich proposes taxing e-cigs, increasing cigarette and OTP tax in budget

[Bill Godshall]

Ohio Governor Kasich proposes increasing cigarette tax from $1.25 to $1.85/pack, increasing OTP tax, and taxing lifesaving e-cigarettes.
Kasich's mid-biennium review plan calls for across the board cuts in individual tax rates | cleveland.com


Can't find the Gov's budget proposal or address to find out what level of e-cig tax he's proposing. But Kasich is the second Republican Governor to propose taxing e-cigs in the past week.

 

[rothenbj]

I find it a bit disingenuous that exorbitant taxes were placed on cigarettes due to the nearly $200b medical and productivity societal cost. Yet as people get off cigarettes to what appears to be a much safer alternative, all the politicians can think of is how they can regain the tax money lost from cigarette sales.

 

[Stosh]

I find it a bit disingenuous that exorbitant taxes were placed on cigarettes due to the nearly $200b medical and productivity societal cost. Yet as people get off cigarettes to what appears to be a much safer alternative, all the politicians can think of is how they can regain the tax money lost from cigarette sales.

It's always been about the money, not some mythical cost to society. They tax alcohol a little at a time, because they can, and there's little protest. They tax milk, not sure what the societal cost is for that. If they can get away with it, they will be taxing sugar and sugar in foods, saturated fats, caffeine, being overweight, not exercising enough, all for our own good...

 

[MorpheusPA]

I find it a bit disingenuous that exorbitant taxes were placed on cigarettes due to the nearly $200b medical and productivity societal cost. Yet as people get off cigarettes to what appears to be a much safer alternative, all the politicians can think of is how they can regain the tax money lost from cigarette sales.

Government requires money (the alternative to having little to no government is Somalia, which nobody wants, so this really is the lesser of two evils in my book).

Since neither party can really hike taxes on those who can afford to pay said taxes (because said people and companies fund the bloated campaigns run every 2 years), they have to get it somewhere.

You can always expect that to be a wedge issue, for the simple matter that it tends to involve fewer people than mainstream issues will.

QED.

 

[Bill Godshall]

We need action to defeat e-cig tax proposals, and we've defeated all tax proposals so far except for MN back in 2010.

Complaining about taxes on ECF accomplishes nothing.

 

[Technohydra]

Agreed, Bill. The major threat of a tax bill passing is the inevitable domino effect that will follow. Once one state falls, the others will cite them as an example, along with some irrelevant and cherry-picked numbers, and use that as fuel to ram these bills through. Whereas it is possible to remove a law in place, it's not an easy task, costs a lot of money in legals, and doesn't undo the damage caused. If a business is driven to bankruptcy over a law like this, they likely won't try reopening 6 months later after the law dies.

 

[LEDBETTER122]

Ohio Governor Kasich proposes increasing cigarette tax from $1.25 to $1.85/pack, increasing OTP tax, and taxing lifesaving e-cigarettes.
Kasich's mid-biennium review plan calls for across the board cuts in individual tax rates | cleveland.com


Can't find the Gov's budget proposal or address to find out what level of e-cig tax he's proposing. But Kasich is the second Republican Governor to propose taxing e-cigs in the past week.

I do believe that E-Cigarettes should be taxed, but they should not be taxed any more than anything you would buy at the store.

To fight for no taxes what so ever to apply to e-cigs is illogical IMO, but to hike the taxes to an unreasonable amount on a specific product is what irritates me.

We will inevitably lose the battle on "If e-cigs will be taxed", because they eventually will be.

The only thing we can attempt to sway is "How Much".

 

[sonicdsl]

I think the point is to not tax them with excise taxes, such as with tobacco cigarettes. Sales tax is not the issue.

 

[skoony]

well if e-cigs are 99% safer than smoking i say tax them at 1%
so we can say we are doing are fair share.
regards
mike

 

[Stosh]

I think the point is to not tax them with excise taxes, such as with tobacco cigarettes. Sales tax is not the issue.

Taxing personal vaporizers as a separate class lessens opposition, somebody else pays more so I get to pay less..... The politicians feel safe raising taxes on PVs because we are a small percentage of voters. They will raise taxes on any small group or product if they feel they can convince the voting public, A) It will lessen the taxes necessary for them to pay B) It's for your own good.

E-cig, PV taxes are an easy go-to position, few users compared to the general public, and smoking has been marginalized. We need to continue to fight the good fight, but realize the mind set of the lobby against us.

 

[DrMA]

Taxing personal vaporizers as a separate class lessens opposition, somebody else pays more so I get to pay less..... The politicians feel safe raising taxes on PVs because we are a small percentage of voters. They will raise taxes on any small group or product if they feel they can convince the voting public, A) It will lessen the taxes necessary for them to pay B) It's for your own good.

E-cig, PV taxes are an easy go-to position, few users compared to the general public, and smoking has been marginalized. We need to continue to fight the good fight, but realize the mind set of the lobby against us.

Actually it's "for the children", didn't you read all the press?

 

[Bill Godshall]

Americans for Tax Reform: Governor Kasich’s tax plan less than inspiring
Governor Kasich's Tax Plan Less Than Inspiring | Americans for Tax Reform

 

[Double J]

Is nicorette gum or the patch taxed like cigarette/tobacco equivalents? Been a while since I bought either.

 

[Bill Godshall]

Not only are FDA approved drugs NOT TAXED (not even sales tax), taxpayers and healthcare insurance policy holders are forced to subsidize the costs of most NRT products and the vast majority of Chantix costs.

That's because Big Pharma and their funded front groups (CTFK, ACS, AHA, ALA, AMA, AAP, etc) have lobbied to enact state and federal laws requiring taxpayers and healthcare insurers to pay for most (or all) costs of NRT and Chantix.

That's also why those same Big Pharma funded front groups have lied about e-cigs since 2009, urged FDA to ban e-cigs in 2009, have lobbied for e-cig use bans since 2010, are now lobbying to tax e-cigs, and have been urging FDA to once again ban e-cigs (under the guise of regulations to protect children).

 

[Double J]

Thank you Bill. I'm sending a message voicing my concern to the Governors office now. I also included a link to the CASAA website, in case they haven't done their homework.

 

[Kent C]

Ohio Governor Kasich proposes increasing cigarette tax from $1.25 to $1.85/pack, increasing OTP tax, and taxing lifesaving e-cigarettes.
Kasich's mid-biennium review plan calls for across the board cuts in individual tax rates | cleveland.com


Can't find the Gov's budget proposal or address to find out what level of e-cig tax he's proposing. But Kasich is the second Republican Governor to propose taxing e-cigs in the past week.

Kasich is the second anti-libertarian, Establishment RINO Governor to propose taxing e-cigs in the past week.

There! fixed it.

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/02/john-kasich-obamacares-biggest-red-state-catch-87143.html

John Kasich On The Record | Peace . Gold . LOVE

 

[MrsAngelD]

Thank you for the info, I'll definitely look into contacting my represenitives.

 

[ruet]

Kasich is the second anti-libertarian, Establishment RINO Governor to propose taxing e-cigs in the past week.

There! fixed it.

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/02/john-kasich-obamacares-biggest-red-state-catch-87143.html

John Kasich On The Record | Peace . Gold . LOVE

Awwww, you fair-weather Conservatives are really something. If a Democrat makes a proposal that would negatively effect vaping then ALL Democrats are Satanic communists spawned from the corpses of Marx and Lenin themselves. If a Republican does the same then he/she was never a REAL Republican to begin with. The vote recorded is with the Representatives you have, not Representatives you might want or wish to have a later time.

 

[Stosh]

Not at all, ALL Democrats are Satanic communists spawned from the corpses of Marx and Lenin themselves, regardless of their views on vaping....

Now back to our regularly scheduled thread on stopping the blasted legislation!!!

 

[Kent C]

Awwww, you fair-weather Conservatives are really something. If a Democrat makes a proposal that would negatively effect vaping then ALL Democrats are Satanic communists spawned from the corpses of Marx and Lenin themselves. If a Republican does the same then he/she was never a REAL Republican to begin with. The vote recorded is with the Representatives you have, not Representatives you might want or wish to have a later time.

The facts are the facts. His proposals as a representative and as Governor, don't go along with most of the Republican platform or conservative/libertarian princples. If a Democrat would do that - go against his party, I'd praise him or her, and have in the past. I didn't vote for Kasich, in fact, I sent his Congressional opponent, Cynthia Ruccia, a pretty good campaign contribution at that time.