BCT Editorial – 2/4/09

This page was last updated on February 8, 2009.

Up to snuff; Editorial; Beaver County Times; February 4, 2009.

The editorial subtitle is “Lawmakers must OK Rendell’s tax proposals on tobacco products.”

What is it with the Times and tobacco? As a reminder, there have been at least 46 anti-smoking editorials since March 2005.

My comments have to do with the following excerpt from the editorial.

“If smokers have all that money to gamble away, how can they complain about paying another dime for a pack of cigarettes?

“Users of smokeless tobacco and cigars also have no reason to complain.

“They’ve been getting a free ride for years. Pennsylvania is the only state in the nation that doesn’t impose a tax on these tobacco products. The reason is basic. Lawmakers are kowtowing to the tobacco lobby.

“The taxes Rendell is proposing would bring in much-needed revenue and should be adopted.

“The tax hike and new tax could have another benefit as well if they lead more people to stop using cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco and snuff.”

Regarding the first sentence, spending money on entertainment is voluntary while paying a tax is not.

Regarding “Pennsylvania is the only state in the nation that doesn’t impose a tax on these tobacco products,” this is a lie. All tobacco products are subject to the state sales tax. What the editorial should have said is PA doesn’t apply a tobacco excise tax on top of the sales tax for these products. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette published an editorial a couple of years ago supporting more tobacco taxes, but at least the PG had the honesty to mention the sales tax.

The final sentence is the real key. The Times wants to use taxes to influence individual behavior. As covered in previous critiques, using government to address personal behavior the Times doesn’t like is a continuing goal of Times editorials.