The Senate Budget and Taxation Committee heard testimony Wednesday on SB 589, which would increase the tobacco tax rate from $2 for a pack of cigarettes to $3. The bill also calls for steep hike on all other tobacco products — from 30% to 95% of the wholesale price.
Products affected would include cigars, roll-your-own, and forms of smokeless tobacco.
The bill would give Maryland the fourth highest tobacco tax rates in the nation. No. 1 is New York at $4.35 per pack of cigarettes. (Cigarette smugglers nabbed by comptroller’s agents coming through Maryland from 30 cents-a-pack Virginia are often headed to New York.)
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10 comments:
Think of the money this state woukd save if these idiots stayed home and quit coming up with ways to steal more money..as far as im concerned they get enough taxes...these people are like crack addicts...and they dont wanna kick the habit
Delmar, Delaware is really happy about this. The tobacco and liquor taxes are making Delmar, Delaware a booming little town.
just quit, or drive up the road, I no longer buy anything in this state! screw the pols!
Smuggling will quadruple and enforcement will become impossible.
When cigarette taxes were last raised in 2007 income to the State declined significantly because smokers went to Virginia, Delaware or elsewhere to purchase their smokes. Politicians think taxpayers are really stupid.
withthe tax so high, patrons will go to neighboring states & give them their money. Well if md. doesn't want it, they'll keep raising the tax.
No problem. Delaware and Virginia are nearby. I can go there anytime and get what I want.
Save money, smoke pot.
Already buy my booze in DE - and most of the groceries - I'm up there on regular occasions and make the circle on the way home...
If I could find places where the gas was actually cheaper too - they'd get that business also....
Some foreign national gets popped on the 13 Bypass with 200 cartons of Virginia cigarettes. During the traffic stop, three rental vans go by with 6000 cartons.
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