|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*| ============================================= NEWS FROM THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY OF VIRGINIA PO Box 28263 Richmond VA 23228-0263 703-715-6230 World Wide Web: http://www.LPVA.com ============================================= For immediate release: January 21, 2009 ============================================= For additional information, contact:
Marc Montoni, LPVA Communications Committee [email protected] LPVA Voicemail: 703-715-6230 Website: www.LPVA.com ============================================= LIBERTARIANS CALL ON LEGISLATORS TO END THE WAR ON SMOKERS Karen Kwiatkowski, Ph.D LPVA Communications Committee The Virginia General Assembly is busy solving the state budget crisis, and reducing expenditures by government is something the Libertarian Party applauds and welcomes. But a closer look at some of the means and mechanisms being proposed reveals that they solve no crisis, reduce no spending, and while intended to raise revenue, should raise nothing but the eyebrows of Virginia's citizens. Several House Bills, including HB 1692, HB 1703, HB 1704, HB 1833, HB 2007, HB 2067 and HB 2246 all relate to "Indoor Clean Air" concerns -- and how the Commonwealth may profit from them. These proposals extend and increase state regulation of private businesses and other places where citizens may congregate with regard to smoking. Many of these regulations, however, are less about safety and health than about raising revenue, like HB 1833, which would eliminate the $25 civil penalty cap. Why not $250? Why not $25,000? Easy money, at least for legislators in Richmond. Related bills, like HB 2389, propose to increase the excise taxes on tobacco, including a new 10% excise tax on tobacco used by those who roll their own. Sin taxes and other legislation that creates new lawbreakers out of thin air may seem to 'make' money for the General Assembly. Taxing the "unhealthy behaviors of the 20% of Virginians who smoke and business owners who would like to cater to them is also democratically "cost-free" means of social engineering the minority. But do these laws and taxes really reduce bad behaviors, raise revenues and make the world a better place on the cheap? States who have pursued sin tax policies, usually of tobacco, have had predictable results. It goes like this: First, state legislators predict the increase in revenue they will receive if the particular sinful product or practice is taxed more. Check. This projected increase in revenue is added into the budget allowing hard decisions about cuts in state spending to be postponed. Check. Third, the higher prices cause behavioral changes in the "sinful" consumer, to include reduced in-state purchases. Fourth, the state enforcement apparatus expands, interfering with both producer and consumer rights. Check. Fifth, state budget shortfalls occur, due to government enforcement growth and revenue miscalculations, and more new taxes are proposed. Check. The good news is that smoking is steadily declining in America, among all groups, even teens and women. Virginia agriculture, once overwhelmingly dependent on tobacco, has diversified successfully and has a promising future. In a time of economic trouble, Virginia doesn't need more consumer taxes and behavior modification through legislation. What Virginia needs is a serious commitment in Richmond to break its own spending addiction, and a little respect for individual freedom and the restorative power of real economic liberty. # 30 # 30 # 30 # BIO: Karen Kwiatkowski, Ph.D. is a retired USAF lieutenant colonel, has written on defense issues with a libertarian perspective for MilitaryWeek.com, hosted the call-in radio show American Forum, and blogs occasionally for Huffingtonpost.com and Liberty and Power. See her article archive at http://www.lewrockwell.com/kwiatkowski/kwiatkowski-arch.html . |*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*|*| -- end -- ############################################################# Have an announcement you'd like to post? SCC members & many committee heads are all authorized to post; or you may send your announcements to the List Master: <mailto:[email protected]?subject=announcement>. ################################################## Unsubscribe: Send an email to [email protected] with no subject and "Unsubscribe Announce" as the text. ############################################################# Libertarian Party of Virginia http://www.LPVA.com Phone: 703-715-6230
