March 28, 2008

Look to Cigarettes For Budget

Increasing Florida’s outdated tax on cigarettes would have been wise a few years ago when the economy was soaring. It’s even better idea now as lawmakers struggle to cover a budget shortfall and find money for essential needs like health care. Last summer, Gov. Charlie Crist politely described as "innovative" a proposal to boost the state’s cigarettes tax for the first time since 1990, but quickly added, "I’m not for raising taxes, as you know."
Meanwhile, just about everything else seems to be fair game for a hike. Five years ago, the Republican-controlled Legislature raised $150 million extra by increasing fees paid by drivers, college students, Medicaid patients, cell-phone users, hunters and mobile-home residents. Cigarette taxes remained unchanged.
Crist’s attitude has varied only slightly. Asked about two weeks ago whether the state should consider a cigarette tax this year, Crist replied, "No. No new taxes. What I think we need to do is be innovative." The overall mood in Tallahassee, however, has changed substantially over the past year - and with good reason.
About two weeks ago, the Legislature chopped $512 million from the current fiscal year’s budget - which is now $1.5 billion less than when it was approved last May.
Lawmakers now have to write a budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1. And they found out recently that they’ll have nearly $2 billion less to work with that they previously expected. In other words, the Legislature will either have to make even deeper cuts in essential state services, or find new sources of revenue.

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