If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try again is the motto of a group of Idaho health organization, including the American Cancer Society, which have vowed to continue its crusade to raise the state’s tobacco taxes, the Associated Press reports.
Despite failure in the 2012 Legislature, the coalition has plans to push to tack on $1.25 to cigarette packs. Supporters say the rosier state of Idaho’s revenue will be tough to overcome, but that they have state Rep. Dennis Lake, who chairs the House Revenue and Taxation Committee, on their side.
“Without needing the revenue, it makes it that much more difficult to pass,” said Lake. “We have a substantial group of people (in the Legislature) that are ‘no tax increase’ and they perceive it as being a tax increase.”
The coalition says the proposed increase would generate $50 million for the state’s smoking cessation and other anti-smoking programs. Heidi Low, who lobbies in Idaho for the American Cancer Society, said the tax hike is high on her priorities list.
“It [a cigarette tax hike] has consistently been something that’s been supported by the public and other health-related organizations,” said Low. “Everyone is eager to move forward with something.”
Opposing the tax again will be convenience stores and other small businesses that sell tobacco products. Earlier in 2011, those retailers gathered 25,000 signatures from consumers who were against raising the cigarette tax. Currently, Idaho taxes cigarettes at 57 cents a pack, which puts the state at the eighth-lowest tobacco tax.
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