Clear the Air

The issue of increasing West Virginia’s tobacco excise tax is making headlines again as part of the race for Governor. The Charleston Gazette-Mail today printed responses from Democratic candidates on a host of issues, including tobacco taxes, in an article by Alison Knezevich.

According to The Gazette-Mail article:

“West Virginia has the nation’s highest smoking rate. In the past few years, some state lawmakers unsuccessfully pushed to raise the tax on cigarettes and other tobacco products in an effort to decrease tobacco usage.

Kessler and Perdue were the only candidates to say they would raise the tobacco tax, which is one of the lowest in the United States.

Kessler said he would use tobacco-tax revenues for health and anti-drug initiatives. Those would include community-based substance abuse programs, expansion of drug courts and day-report centers with random drug testing, and primary health-care centers.

With the state Medicaid rolls set to grow because of federal health-care reform, Perdue said he likely would use the money for that program, which provides health coverage for the poor and disabled.

Other candidates said they would not raise taxes at this time.”

Some may recall that Acting Senate President Jeff Kessler was co-sponsor of the Coalition for a Tobacco-Free West Virginia supported legislation to increase the tobacco tax by one dollar per pack in the 2011 legislative session.

The Primary Election for the unexpired term of Governor will be held on May 14th. You can read all of the answers by the Democratic candidates to the 10 questions posed by The Charleston Gazette here.

Please take the time to learn the candidates positions on the critical issues facing, like tobacco control efforts and health care, and make sure to vote on May 14th!

CNBC reports today that the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) has sent Acting Governor Tomblin a letter stating:

“West Virginia legislators will soon consider Senate Bill 362 and House Bill 2973, which would raise the tax on a pack of cigarettes from 55 cents to $1.55 and the tax on smokeless tobacco from 7 percent to 50 percent of the wholesale price of each item. On behalf of the 5,894 members and supporters of the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) in the state of West Virginia, I urge you to veto any bill that increases state excise taxes and instead focus your efforts on cutting wasteful and unnecessary spending from the state budget.”

However, CCAGW has recieved large amounts of funding from the tobacco industry. The St. Petersburg Times reported that CCAGW got at least $245,000 from the tobacco industry and subsequently lobbied on its behalf.

Throughout its history, CCAGW has been accused of fronting lobbying efforts of corporations to give them the appearance of “grassroots” support.

A Senate Finance Committee investigating ties between CCAGW and other non-profits and lobbyist-turned-convict Jack Abramoff in 2006 stated in a report that the groups had ”probably violated their tax-exempt status by laundering payments and then disbursing funds at Mr. Abramoff’s direction; taking payments in exchange for writing newspaper columns or press releases that put Mr. Abramoff’s clients in a favorable light; introducing Mr. Abramoff’s clients to government officials in exchange for payment; and agreeing to act as a front organization for congressional trips paid for by Mr. Abramoff’s clients.”

News of CCAGW’s letter to Acting Governor Tomblin came on the same day the Associated Press reported that Tomblin spokesperson Jacqueline Proctor said that now may not be time for a tobacco tax increase.

Please contact Acting Governor Tomblin’s office at 304-558-2000 or toll-free at 1-888-438-2731 and urge him to stand with West Virginians - not with out-of-state special interest groups - by SUPPORTING the tobacco tax increase this year.

You can also directly email Acting Governor Tomblin from here.

Chuck Hamsher, CTFWV spokesperson and Government Relations Director for the American Heart Association, discussed raising West Virginia’s tobacco tax with former-Senator Bobbie Nelson on WRVC Radio in Huntington on Wednesday.

Listen to this via podcast by clicking here.

And gone if not reported out of committee to the floor in one chamber of the West Virginia Legislature by Monday and passed by one of the legislative chambers by Wednesday. The legislature missing this opportunity will keep West Virginia’s tobacco tax as the 8th lowest in the nation.

Failure to pass the tobacco tax this year means tens-of-thousands of kids will not see price as a deterrent and will begin using tobacco products and many will be addicted for what will be a shortened life. The same can be said for the nearly 20,000 current users who would have quit had the tax increase been implemented.

Also lost will be over $100 million in revenue which could have been utilized to prevent and treat chronic disease in West Virginia and expand health coverage to low-income working people in the state.

There’s still time but it is quickly passing.

Contact you legislators and Governor Manchin in the next 24 hours and ask that they meet this deadline and keep the tobacco tax legislation alive by passing the bill from one chamber next week.

If the health impact does not move them then perhaps the full scope of the 4.6% budget cuts the Governor has announced should be fully understood before the tobacco tax is taken off the table this year.

Action now is critical because if not passed by the House or Senate by Wednesday the legislation is dead for this session.

Tags: 2009 Session, tobacco tax, West Virginia Legislature

If some members of the West Virginia legislature get their way Smoke Gets in Your Eyes will be much more than a classic record from The Platters - it will be public policy.

For years now, local boards of health in West Virginia have reasonably and responsibly addressed the issue of clean indoor air by establishing local regulations protecting our citizens from exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke. These regulations have been effective, implemented after examining the health facts and done when the community was prepared. While there are always a minority of vocal opponents who decry each new regulation, the vast majority of West Virginians enjoy and appreciate being able to work, shop and relax in smoke-free establishments.

Boards of health are unique. As regulatory bodies they combine use of scientific data, local administration of public health policy, inclusion of experts and citizens, and a structure that sets the board one degree apart from the political establishment. This last point is critical - decisions regarding the prevention of disease and protecting the community from serious public health threats are too important to be mired in political battles.

Already this legislative session one bill has been introduced which would exempt establishments who have a beer or liquor license from any local smoking regulation. Other bills, far more extreme and dangerous, are anticipated to be introduced in the next few days and weeks.

We can not take clean indoor air for granted. Powerful political forces are at work wooing our legislators to ignore the health implications, and public opinion, and reverse the progress West Virginia has made protecting local communities from exposure to tobacco smoke. Now is the time to make certain our voices are heard.

As the legislative session continues be prepared to speak out and respond to action alerts by contacting your legislators. Otherwise, you will have smoke getting in your eyes.

Tags: clean indoor air, West Virginia Legislature