Proposition B Would Raise Tobacco Tax in Missouri by 73 Cents

AND if they have fat kids ... tax them 2x the rate for raising the next generation of fat, unhealthy, human beings. And then figure up a sugar content ratio that makes something be determined unhealthy and tax that! Twinkies, 40% tax ... soda, 30% tax ... why stop there ... let's go to fast food ... 50% tax at McDonald's. I say just forget all that, too time consuming to figure all that ... just put scales at fast food establishments, restaurants and stores and as you check out you can step on the scales ... BMI above "healthy" ... 10% above = 10% tax ... 50% = 50% tax, etc ... why figure item by item, get 'em at the purchasing point ... and tax tax tax. AND then let's not actually make politicians responsible and accountable for where and how the $$ is spent! NOR that it is actually spent on something that is created by the vice .. like pollution reduction for smokers (which IS NOT even an area that smokers are being taxed for). Yep, yep .... let's tax. Count me in!!!!

"For many years Smokers have been draining the funds from Medicare with all their smoke related illnesses. Its about time they started paying more." Are you ignorant or what??? Where do you get your figures on THIS one?? Well, my "figures" (meaning my own biased opinion .... likely where YOU got your figures) show that FAT is what has drained the system ... high blood pressure, heart problems, breathing problems, just in general [censored] health!!!! Tax the smokers and while you are at it TAX the FAT people. OOOO, and tax the DRUNKS while you are at it.

proposition B. "Proposition B Proponents like Stephen Hall with the American Heart Association says this proposal benefit the entire state." yes i guess it would. "Hall says the group proposes that the $283 million generated annually from the tax would be divided this way: 20 percent to prevention and cessation programs for smokers who want to quit and to keep kids from starting to smoke" this could be good if these programs were free to those who wish to quit. "50 percent to Missouri's elementary and secondary education classrooms to help prevent staff reductions and increase classroom sizes" this is always good. "30 percent to Missouri's colleges and universities to support educational opportunities for tomorrow's workforce and future caregivers" this could be good, if used for books, classrooms and tuition and not sports, swimming pools, arenas and fancy recreation and gyms. take a look at the all of the funding, would there be a reduction in funding if 33% of smokers stop smoking? what would be taxed next. WHY IS THE TAX JUST ON TOBACCO? are police departments setting up smoking check points? do the police write tickets and take people to court for SWD (SMOKING WHILE DRIVING)? is this next? just how many crashes are the result of smoking and driving? since smoking is an addiction, isn't alcohol considered an addiction? why not an equal tax on beer, wine and spirits to help support the same programs? how many times on the news when a crash is reported, two items are mentioned: were they wearing seat belts and was there alcohol involved. how many businesses have complained that serve alcohol about the smoking band. these are business that openly cater to the alcohol addicted. the same places that generally supply the means for DWI arrest and crashes that often result in death. some of these places serve great meals, some not so much. there are several place that don't serve meals but contribute just as much to the alcohol issue, liquor, convenience stores and grocery stores. and guess what, these places also sell cigarettes. the point is: if we're going to tax one vice because of health issues, let's tax the other big vice that kills a lot folks also. by the way, i'm a pack a day smoker and my last alcoholic drink was 12/31/1996. thank you and have a great day!

For many years Smokers have been draining the funds from Medicare with all their smoke related illnesses. Its about time they started paying more.