For all WA State BOTLs and SOTLs

[uptown_isy]

H.B. 2493 would increase the current tax on cigars (75% of the manufacturer's selling price) to a new rate of 95%, and increase the current tax cap of $.50 per cigar to $3.025. Contact your state representatives if this is important to you.

I got this emailed to me by the CRA and felt it was important to pass along to everyone.

I wanted to add that this is precisely the thing that puts small smokeshops out of business. There's something to be said for places that are meant for you to walk in, fire up a cigar, and chill. And these places are the ones that suffer with these obsene tax increases.

 

[lherzolite]

Unfortunately you cannot walk into a B&M here and fire up a cigar. That was outlawed several years ago. I did hear that our legislature was proposing raising taxes on cigarettes by about a buck a pack, but there wasn't any info regarding cigars, so thank you for the heads up (I still can't find anything on the Internet regarding the specifics of what is being proposed). Our state fiscal situation is so screwed up that I doubt there is much chance of stopping this. We have a $2.6 billion deficit, and so far the only things that our representatives have been proposing are measly little tax increases (tabacco, candy, soda, bottled water, etc...) as well as one day/month furloughs for government workers. Each of which will reduce our deficit by only 10's of million of dollars. Hell, I bet if you randomly chose 100 people from our state, and sat them down and said solve this mess, they would do an infinitely better job than our legislature.

I will certainly be writing my representatives regarding this, but like I said don't have much hope. They are going to tax anything and everything that doesn't have a large constituency. (I apologize for the defeatist attitude...)

 

[SteveA]

Thanks. I called my legislator and expessed my displeasure with this proposal.

 

[looking for knowledge]

Bastards.

We don't have to pay if we buy from out of state shops (like say, from NY), do we?

 

[mmburtch]

Bastards.

We don't have to pay if we buy from out of state shops (like say, from NY), do we?

Washington is one of the states that actually attempts to collect taxes from purchasers. :angry:

 

[BlindedByScience]

Bastards.

We don't have to pay if we buy from out of state shops (like say, from NY), do we?

As I understand, you're supposed to report any out of state purchases and pay the taxes on them....

The State of WA has basically screwed all it's B&M's with the broad anti smoking law they enacted. However......there are a very few places you can still smoke: the Indian reservations and Casinos...!! Talk about a monopoly...!!!

Oh, and my house....two covered outside decks, most always open......

Cheers - B.B.S.

 

[mmburtch]

Oh, and my house....two covered outside decks, most always open......

Cheers - B.B.S.

And five or six very small dogs nesting in Tom's hair.

 

[BlindedByScience]

And five or six very small dogs nesting in Tom's hair.

Five dogs, check.
Nesting in my hair.....I don't think so, bucco......

 

[modo22]

Bastards.

We don't have to pay if we buy from out of state shops (like say, from NY), do we?

Washington is one of the states that actually attempts to collect taxes from purchasers. :angry:

I actually do not buy nor smoke cigars! Pay taxes on a purchase out of state? Come on! I bought a car when I lived in Chicago; when I moved here I had to change the registration and they wanted to charge me taxes again!!!! I took it to the local tax officials and they overturned it so I did not have to pay taxes twice!

So "if" I bought cigars, I can not go to my local B&M and afford 95% tax...but also can not afford to remit taxes on an out off state purchase. Well anyways enough bithcing.

Thanks for the info Isy.