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Tax Bill from Ct Senator

J

JimD

Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2006
Messages
357
Dear Mr Delisle:

Thank you for contacting me regarding proposals to fund expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). I am pleased to hear from you on this issue.As you may know, Congress, with my active support, established SCHIP in the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (P.L. 105-33).At that time, Congress appropriated $40 billion, with each state receiving access to a portion of the annual amount. SCHIP currently has no appropriation beyond 2007. Since 2002, states' total spending of federal SCHIP funds has exceeded the annual appropriations for original allotments. Original allotments have become increasingly critical to states in operating their SCHIP programs, determining not only how much federal money states receive but, for a given level of states' projected spending, what size shortfall states are projected to face.

Most recently, in the Senate debate on the 2008 Budget Resolution, I supported an amendment that would allow Congress to consider an increase in the tobacco excise tax to provide funding for SCHIP, but only to the extent that an increase does not raise the price of cigarettes more than .61 cents per pack. This amendment was not included in the final version of the 2008 Budget Resolution that was agreed to by both branches of Congress. Currently, the 2008 Budget Resolution allows for Congress to fund SCHIP at $50 billion from 2007-2012, provided that revenue offsets or spending cuts can be found to fund the program without adding to the federal budget deficit.

As strong supporter of SCHIP, you may be assured that I am closely following developments on this issue; and I will keep your views in mind as the Senate debates funding mechanisms for SCHIP in the future.

Thank you again for letting me know your views and concerns. Please contact me if you have any additional questions or comments about our work in Congress.

Sincerely,

Joseph I. Lieberman

UNITED STATES SENATOR
 
Well, it’s kind of refreshing to see someone from capitol hill take the time to listen to the people. I have to say he’s morels do seem to be in the right place. Health care is becoming an issue. It’s just a shame they keep using tobacco as there scapegoat to help with there budget problems. Just think of all those billions of dollars we could use here at home instead of *cough* Ira *cough* q.
 
Boy Jim, his response sure looks like he didn't read much more than the subject line of your letter. He seems to think you agree with him. The thought of a CT senator voting for higher tobacco tax is mind boggling. Sure most of that CT Shade is exported, but most of it comes right back as finished product.
 
Here is a copy of the email I got today from Thompson cigar:

The U.S. Senate will shortly vote on a proposal to expand
the state children’s health insurance program by $35 billion.
Funding is to be provided solely through higher tobacco taxes.
The tax increases on cigars are particularly punitive,
as all large cigars would be subject to a tax of 53.13% of the
manufacturer’s selling price. This is an increase of 156.4%
over the current rate! And, while the current tax on cigars is
capped so no cigar pays more than $.05 in federal taxes,
the proposed legislation would increase the cap by 20,413%
(not a typo) to $10 per cigar! The combination of these two
factors will result in a dramatic increase in cigar prices in
the U.S. and many cigar companies are likely to go out of business.

We urge you to phone the offices of your own U.S. Senators
(see list below), give them your name and address and ask
that they vote to oppose the punitively high cigar tax increases
in the state children’s health insurance legislation.
Please call only your own U.S. Senators because Senators
respond to the concerns their constituents, not to those who
live in other states.

Simply unbelievable.
antaean

oops...I missed Nimrod's earlier post similar to this.
 
Lost mine too.

Especially if the 'facts' that I'm seeing about the program are true...it seems SCHIP is pork (or at least most of it)....but that's for another forum.
 
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