In 2015 as reported by The Cigar Authority the state of West Virginia had two proposals to raise the OTP tax which affects how cigars are taxed. The initial proposal suggested a raise from 7% to 10.5%. However, in late February bi-partisan bill H.B. 2953 was introduced that suggested taxing OTP products at the rate of 39 percent. The 2015 yearly session closed with the tobacco tax not seeing a vote and now a published report by […]
This one is almost too insane to be true, as the Missouri Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association has filed an initiative to raise tobacco taxes that include a 50% increase on other tobacco products (cigars). The measure comes from a group that once fought to keep the state’s tax as one of the lowest in the nation. The measure which comes in less than other proposals recently filed with the state. If passed one […]
While the Republicans are not flawless, the Democrats are about to strike again on cigars in Oregon. Over the past year, I continue to notice a trend of Democrats taking away our freedoms as cigar smokers, and looking to raise taxes. This time the Oregon House is set to vote on raising taxes and included in the bill is removing the cap on premium cigars in order to extend expiring tax credits for people with low […]
The state Senate in Ohio is voting tonight on a proposed $71.3 billion, two-year budget that will include an increase in tobacco taxes with a silver lining. According to a report in the Toledo Blade, the budget that includes a 5% annual pay raise for elected officials will raise the cigarette tax by 40 cents. There is also a proposed increase on cigars, pipe and chewing tobacco while premium cigars would be capped at 50 […]
Earlier this year, Democrat Governor Tom Wolf of Pennsylvania proposed a tobacco increase to 40% in a state where the previous rate was 0%. That measure was defeated in a unanimous votes of 193-0. The state still does not have a budget in place, and this is the last month to get one in place as the fiscal year ends at the end of the month.
To Combat Smoking, Lethal Health Risks from Tobacco, Blumenthal, Durbin, Reed, Boxer Re-Introduce Legislation for Tobacco Enforcement Reforms While the IPCPR does not expect this measure to pass it is something we must remain vigilant on. Below is the Press Release from Senator Blumenthal’s office. (Washington, DC) – Today, Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), and Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) re-introduced the Tobacco Tax and Enforcement Reform Act (TTERA) to address illegal […]
Earlier this year the state of West Virginia proposed a tax on other tobacco products (OTP), which includes cigars at a rate of 10.5 percent. This would have been an increase from the current 7 percent as we reported on The Cigar Authority podcast. However, in late February Representatives Allen V. Evans-R, Tom Fast-R, Barbara Evans Fleischauer-D, Mike Pushkin-D and Ruth Rowan-R introduced H.B. 2953 which would tax OTP products at the rate of 39 percent. The […]
In Cheyenne, Wyoming lawmakers have voted again a bill that would have raised the tobacco tax on other tobacco products such as cigars from 10 percent to 20 percent of the retail price or from 20 to 46 percent of the wholesale price. The House Revenue Committee voted 8-1 on Wednesday to defeat the bill. Wyoming is home to 584,000 residents over 97,814 square miles and became a state in 1890.
As is customary every January the President of the United States addresses congress and the American people on the State of the Union. During this speech, the president lays out the ground work for what he hopes to accomplish in that particular year or his presidency. With the Senate and Congress controlled by Republicans this is expected to be the year of nothing happening, as both sides have already stated they don’t see eye to […]
The state of Alaska comes in has having one of the highest tobacco taxes in the country at 75%. Now a local community, Petersburg wants residents to vote on a localized tobacco tax that would be 45% of the wholesale price on cigars. The ordinance 2014-17 will be voted on by residents of Petersburg on October 7th, 2014. Petersburg, Alaska is home to 3,000 residents over 46 square miles and was founded in 1910.