From: bill@smokescreen.org
Date: Thu, 09/18/03
PA Tobacco Tax Alert
Earlier today, PA House Finance Committee Chairman Robert Flick agreed
to allow committee consideration of HB 985 (establishing a $2/pack PA
cigarette tax) and HB 984 (establishing a 45-60% of wholesale tax on
smokeless, cigar and pipe tobacco, with 10% of revenue earmarked for
tobacco prevention and cessation programs) on Monday, September 22, 2003
at 12:00 Noon, in Room 205 of the Ryan Office Building.
Please call, fax and/or e-mail letters to PA House Finance Committee
members (contact information below) urging them to support these bills.
Most Representatives will be in their districts until Monday morning,
when they travel to Harrisburg. It is suggested that letters sent prior
to Monday be faxed to both Capitol and district offices.
The bills are available at:
HB 985 - http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/BI/BT/2003/0/HB0985P1158.HTM
HB 984 - http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/BI/BT/2003/0/HB0984P1157.HTM
Following is a letter Smokefree Pennsylvania is faxing to all PA House
Finance Committee members, followed by contact information for committee
members.
- - -
September 18, 2003
The Honorable Robert J. Flick
Chairman, Pennsylvania House Finance Committee
315 Main Capitol
Harrisburg, PA 17120
Dear Representative Flick,
Please support HB 985 (establishing a $2/pack cigarette tax) and HB 984
(establishing a 45%-60% of wholesale tax on smokeless, cigar and pipe
tobacco, with 10% of revenue earmarked for tobacco prevention and
cessation programs) at Monday's House Finance Committee meeting.
HB 985 - By establishing a $2/pack cigarette tax, HB 985 will reduce
youth cigarette consumption by about 15%, and will reduce overall
cigarette consumption by about 7.5%. HB 985 will also generate about
$780 million annually in new State revenue.
Since cigarette taxes aren't adjusted for inflation like most other
taxes, PA's cigarette tax rate has declined sharply from 50% of retail
price ($.18/$.36) in 1972 to just 25% of retail price ($1/$4) today. HB
985 will bring PA's cigarette tax rate to about 40% of retail price
($2/$5). The cigarette tax is now $2.05/pack in New Jersey, $1.50/pack
in New York State, and an additional $1.50/pack in New York City.
HB 984 - By establishing a graduated 45%-60% tax (of wholesale price) on
smokeless, cigar and pipe tobacco, HB 984 will reduce youth consumption
of these addictive products by about 40%, and will overall consumption
by about 20%. HB 984 will also generate about $50 million annually in
new State revenue, and will earmark 10% of that revenue (about $5
million annually) for tobacco prevention and cessation programs.
Pennsylvania is just one of three states (along with Virginia and
Kentucky) that don't tax smokeless tobacco.
These two tax bills will significantly reduce tobacco consumption
(especially among youth) and will generate about $830 million annually
in new State revenue. Recent opinion polls (conducted in March by
Susquehanna Polling and Research, Inc. and by Madonna Young Opinion
Research) found that 70% or more of Pennsylvania adults and voters
support cigarette and/or other tobacco tax increases.
The tobacco industry has made many misrepresentations of fact to prevent
tobacco tax increases. Although real cigarette tax rates have declined
sharply during the past three to five decades, the industry continues
claiming that cigarette tax rates have increased. And while the industry
claims that cigarette tax hikes result in massive smuggling and
nonpayment of taxes, estimated nonpayment of cigarette taxes in the US
is about 5%, which is lower than estimated nonpayment of income and
other types of taxes.
Once again, please support HB 985 and HB 984 to enhance Pennsylvania's
physical and fiscal health.
Sincerely,
William T. Godshall, MPH
Executive Director
- - -
Pennsylvania House Finance Committee Members
(all Capitol office addresses are Harrisburg, PA 17120)
Rebublicans
Robert J. Flick
Chairman, Finance Committee
315 Main Capitol
(P) 717-787-8579
(F) 717-787-5713
Barr Building, Suite 302
266 Lancaster Avenue
Malvern PA 19355
(P) 800-280-8002
(F) 610-251-1074
rflick@pahousegop.com
Stanley Saylor
211 Ryan Office Bldg.
(P) 717-783-6426
(F) 717-705-1849
2997 Cape Horn Road
Cape Horn Plaza (Rear)
Red Lion PA 17356
(P) 717-244-9232
(F) 717-246-2387
ssaylor@pahousegop.com
Mike Turzai
145 East Wing
(P) 717-772-9943
(F) 717-772-2470
125 Hillvue Lane, 1st Flr.
Pittsburgh PA 15237
(P) 412-369-2230
(F) 412-369-2236
mturzai@pahousegop.com
Kerry A. Benninghoff
141 East Wing
(P) 717-783-1918
(F) 717-705-1889
209 S. Allegheny Street, Suite B
Bellefonte PA 16823
(P) 814-355-1300
(F) 814-355-3523
kbenning@pahousegop.com
Pat Browne
18 East Wing
(P) 717-787-6572
(F) 717-705-1998
1600 Lehigh Parkway East
Suite 1-R
Allentown PA 18103
(P) 610-435-3854
(F) 610-821-6130
pbrowne@pahousegop.com
Steven W. Cappelli
413 Irvis Building
(P) 717-787-6815
(F) 717-772-9976
160 Williamsport Building
460 Market Street
Williamsport PA 17701
(P) 570-321-1270
(F) 570-327-3719
scappell@pahousegop.com
Jeffrey E. Habay
163 East Wing
(P) 717-783-7426
(F) 717-705-1951
1486 Butler Plank Road
Route #8, Glenshaw Crossing
Glenshaw PA 15116
(P) 412-492-0270
(F) 412-492-5108
jhabay@pahousegop.com
Scott E. Hutchinson
162 East Wing
(P) 717-783-8188
(F) 717-787-0860
302 Seneca Street
Oil City PA 16301
(P) 814-677-6363
(F) 814-676-7653
shutchin@pahousegop.com
Kelly Lewis
149 East Wing
(P) 717-787-6492
(F) 717-705-1922
55 Broad Street
P.O. Box 705
Delaware Water Gap PA 18327
(P) 570-420-2948
(F) 570-420-2953
klewis@pahousegop.com
Daryl Metcalfe
150 East Wing
(P) 717-783-1707
(F) 717-787-4771
Municipal Building
2525 Rochester Road, Suite 201
Cranberry Township PA 16066
(P) 724-772-3110
(F) 724-772-2922
dmetcalf@pahousegop.com
Scott A. Petri
5 East Wing
(P) 717-787-9033
(F) 717-705-7012
The Weather Vane
95 Almshouse Road, Suite 303
Richboro PA 18954
(P) 215-364-3414
(F) 215-364-8626
spetri@pahousegop.com
Carole Rubley
313 Capitol
(P) 717-783-1574
(F) 717-783-1589
P.O. Box 835
Unionville PA 19375
(P) 610-925-0555
(F) 610-925-5408
crubley@pahousegop.com
Mario Scavello
141 East Wing
(P) 717-787-7732
(F) 717-705-1889
31 Pocono Boulevard
Mt. Pocono PA 18344
(P) 570-839-0313
(F) 570-839-3612
mscavell@pahousegop.com
David Steil
427 Irvis Building
(P) 717-772-5396
(F) 717-787-7529
2 North State Street
Newtown PA 18940
(P) 215-986-3975
(F) 215-968-4674
dsteil@pahousegop.com
Patricia H. Vance
B-16 Capitol
(P) 717-787-5935
(F) 717-783-7633
3806 Market Street
Camp Hill PA 17011
(P) 717-975-1985
(F) 717-975-2247
pvance@pahousegop.com
Democrats
David K. Levdansky
Democratic Chairman, Finance Committee
301 Irvis Building
(P) 717-783-1020
(F) 717-783-1193
122 Second Avenue
Elizabeth PA 15037
(P) 412-384-2258
(F) 412-382-2023
dlevdans@pahouse.net
James E. Shaner
111 East Wing
(P) 717-772-5771
(F) 717-787-0861
1253 University Drive
Dunbar PA 15431
(P) 724-626-2761
(F) 724-626-2707
jshaner@pahouse.net
Florindo Fabrizio
102 East Wing
(P) 717-787-4358
(F) 717-787-0861
1216 West 26th Street
Erie PA 16505
(P) 814-455-6319
(F) 814-455-6593
ffabrizi@pahouse.net
Michael P. McGeehan
221 Irvis Building
(P) 717-772-4029
(F) 717-787-4923
7731 Frankford Avenue
Philadelphia PA 19136
(P) 215-333-9760
(F) 215-333-5891
mcgeeha@pahouse.net
Michael K. Hanna
121 Irvis Building
(P) 717-772-2283
(F) 717-787-4137
29 Bellefonte Avenue
Lock Haven PA 17745
(P) 570-748-5480
(F) 570-748-5328
mhanna@pahouse.net
Jennifer L. Mann
121 East Wing
(P) 717-705-1869
(F) 717-705-2087
1227 Liberty Street
Suite 202, 2nd Flr.
Allentown PA 18102
(P) 610-821-5577
(F) 610-821-6325
jlmann@pahouse.net
John E. Pallone
325 Irvis Building
(P) 717-783-1819
(F) 717-772-9984
1625 Fifth Avenue
Arnold PA 15068
(P) 724-339-1990
(F) 724-339-4030
jpallone@pahouse.net
Kenneth Ruffing
116 East Wing
(P) 717-787-4891
(F) 717-787-0861
751 Pittsburgh McKeesport Blvd.
Dravosburg PA 15034
(P) 412-466-1940
(F) 412-460-3023
kruffing@pahouse.net
Christopher Sainato
117 East Wing
(P) 717-772-2436
(F) 717-783-8536
Z-Penn Building
20 South Mercer Street
New Castle PA 16101
(P) 724-656-1112
(F) 724-656-3352
csainato@pahouse.net
P. Michael Sturla
105 East Wing
(P) 717-787-3555
(F) 717-787-0861
8 North Queen Street, Suite 1100
The Griest Building
Lancaster PA 17603
(P) 717-295-3157
(F) 717-295-7816
msturla@pahouse.net
John T. Yudichak
125 East Wing
(P) 717-787-1751
(F) 717-705-1887
7 North Market Street
Nanticoke PA 18634
(P) 570-740-7031
(F) 570-826-2584
jyudicha@pahouse.net
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