Tobacco tax has much support, opposition in Missouri

By Steve Moyer

Herald-Tribune

Nevada, Mo. -- He's not a supporter of taxes in general but Dr. William Turner, chief of surgery and chief of the Wound Care Clinic at Nevada Regional Medical Center as well as being on the hospital's board, does think increasing the taxes on cigarettes is possibly a good thing.

"I hate taxes, but this is one that might be worthwhile," Turner said.

Turner brought up two reasons why he is hesitant to believe the tax is an unalloyed benefit, smuggling and what happens to the money once it is collected.

"If you raise the tax higher than in surrounding states people will just smuggle cigarettes in and you loose all the revenue," Turner said. "What are they going to do with the money? They say the money is for health programs but how do you know where it is really going?"

If passed the money is supposed to go into a trust fund dedicated to tobacco-use prevention and health care for individuals at 200 percent or less of the federal poverty level.

Opponents of the tax include Missourians Against Tax Abuse and the Missouri Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association.

MATA says if recent Missouri history is a guide the money won't be spent how the proponents of the tax say it will. When proponents of gambling pushed for acceptance they pointed out the money was to be for schools but the money went into the general fund.

They say the Tobacco settlement payments were likewise diverted from the intended recipients.

"Missouri has received almost $1 billion in tobacco settlement payments (tens of millions of dollars per year)," their Web site, http://www.nomo3.com, says. "Less than 1 percent has gone toward tobacco prevention. Instead of funding tobacco prevention, nearly 70 percent of the money has been used to cover budget shortfalls and the rest spent on pet legislative projects."