Governor Ted [tax and gouge me] Kulongoski is proposing to increase cigarette taxes by nearly 85 cents raising the tax on pack a cigarettes from $1.18 to $2.025, giving the state an estimated $150 million plus to fund health coverage to thousands of uninsured Oregon children.
Under the plan, the state would subsidized health coverage for children on a sliding scale up to a maximum income of $70,000 for a family of four. A family making less than $40,000 per year, would get fully subsidize health care for those younger than 19.
Kulongoski also responded to the stream of attacks about his support of new taxes from Ron Saxton, stating that the Republican has failed offer any plan -- other than finding efficiencies, or how he would cover any programs and higher spending.
" "Ultimately, you have to stand up to the plate and say how you're going to pay for it," Kulongoski said. "He's trying to make us so efficient, we're going to be last in this country in providing education and health care and public safety in Oregon." "
Sexton, who has taken a no new taxes pledge, opposes an increase in cigarette taxes, saying the state simply needs to manage its money better.
I agree with Saxton. We need to get our own house [budget] in order before we start worrying about having new programs, especially new taxes .
4 comments:
Teddy the K is once again showing the people of Oregon that he has never seen a tax scheme that he didn't like.
I think it would be funny if the tax was put in place, resulting in so many people quitting smoking due to high prices that it utterly failed to raise the money it was supposed to raise.
How about Ted's commercial? That money could have been better spent.
I have said it a hundred times, it is all about accountability.
Politicians make false promises to get into office... and then it is a free-for-all because there is no checks or balances in our system.
Once they are in, it takes an act of God to get them out and they know it.
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