Propose New Forever Tax

To The Editor:

This letter is about Prop B. Well to be fair this time it’s Prop B. Last time it was Amendment 3, the time before that it was Prop A.

We do not need this new tax. I got a full copy of Prop B off the computer. Guess what? The Prop is 25 pages long. I wonder what’s hidden in all those pages? I believe I’m a fairly intelligent person but a lot of this was over my head. I don’t vote for taxes I don’t understand. The best I could get out of this started on Page 7. I found a breakdown of how this tax would be used.

Fifty percent public education account. Let’s be fair, if they want a new tax they always say schools will benefit. I for one do not believe that story anymore. I believe that was the story about the lottery and gambling boats. If all the money that we talked about to benefit schools was really going to education, why don’t we have the best schools in the country? I understand children are our future. I also understand that this tax will not help. If you want a new tax, maybe you should tax diapers. Sounds dumb doesn’t it? I believe this is as dumb. Some people will say yes because they don’t use tobacco. Before you do that just stop and think about how many people you know do use tobacco products. Some say if you tax them more maybe they will quit. This is easier said than done. If this tax passes it puts a new hardship on many families. My mom always said she would never buy my cigarettes, hopefully she won’t have to pay my electric bill so I can still afford cigarettes. I am staying afloat right now do you want me to sink?

Thirty percent public higher education account. I don’t understand this part. I tried reading it. It starts on Page 11 at the bottom.

Twenty percent tobacco use prevention and quit assistance account. Big name, little help! This is the part that I don’t understand. I as a smoker will foot 100 percent of this tax and only get 20 percent to help me quit! I don’t understand the math. If this tax was to help smokers, 80 percent would go to open clinics for smokers only. They would take care of smoke-related health problems. I think the other 20 percent could go to schools.

I have seen the ads for passing Prop B. I am a little puzzled that they use children to promote a tobacco tax! They say they don’t want children involved with tobacco but they use them to sell a tobacco tax. That’s wrong. The increase is 73 cents. In my book that’s more than a few. The ads also say a few cents increase.

This tax is just another way to pick on us smokers. I have adjusted to all the new rules about no smoking, but that doesn’t seem to be good enough. I am only smoking at home and in my car so leave me alone! If we all quit smoking, what will they tax next? This tax is just like the new stamps at the Post Office. Forever!

Please think twice before voting for a new forever tax.