One of the most controversial issues on the upcoming November 6th ballot is Proposition B.
The proposal would raise Missouri’s cigarette taxes from 17-cents per pack to 90-cents a pack.
Judy Reece is a smoker. Reece said Proposition B is not fair to people like her and a 760% tax increase on Missouri cigarettes is ridiculous.
Reece said, “If I’m going to smoke, I’m going to smoke. That’s all there is to it, period. They can’t take cigarettes away. I’ll be damned. I’ll pay higher prices if I have to, but I don’t really want to. I’m just like anybody else. We’re all poor. We have to deal with stress the best way we can.”
Proposition B would be the largest tax increase in Missouri history and would stop Missouri’s 17-cent cigarette tax from being the lowest in the nation.
Many convenience store owners across Mid-Missouri are showing their opposition to Prop B through signs and flyers.
One group supporting the proposal is traveling across the state on a school bus. Members of a group called “Show-Me a Brighter Future” are visiting more than 20 Missouri cities and spreading the word about the benefits of passing Proposition B.
Campaign spokesperson Misty Snodgrass said, “We think Prop B is a win, win. It provides much needed revenue to local public schools. It helps kids from ever starting to smoke, and it helps save lives.”
Supporters said the higher tobacco tax would generate at least $283 million a year in new revenue for Missouri. 50% of the revenue would go to public schools, 30% to higher education and 20% to efforts intended to prevent people from using tobacco or help them quit. Opponents said the proposed tax increase would reduce Missouri cigarette sales by 157 million packs a year causing a loss in revenue of $67 million for the state.
Proposition B calls for a 73-cent tax increase on a pack of cigarettes and a percentage increase on other tobacco products.
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