Mo. tobacco tax backers plan school bus tour

Friday, September 28, 2012

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Backers of a proposed increase in Missouri’s tobacco tax plan to tour the state in a school bus promoting an initiative on the November ballot.

The “Show-Me A Brighter Future” campaign plans to begin the bus tour Monday in Jefferson City and visit more than 20 cities in 12 days.

Missouri’s cigarette tax of 17 cents a pack currently is the lowest in the nation. The initiative would raise it to 90 cents a pack while also raising taxes on other tobacco products.

The proposal is projected to generate between $283 million and $423 million annually.

Fifty percent of the revenue would go to public schools, 30 percent to higher education and 20 percent to efforts intended to prevent people from using tobacco or help them quit.

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spelchek 7 months, 4 weeks ago

I'm quitting. I don't want to fund extra money for schools. Take THAT edyookayshun!!!!

wyriontair 7 months, 4 weeks ago

Just another intrusion into the lives of Americans. The schools do not need more money, what they are looking for is more revenue to fill teachers pockets and pay for more benefits, NOT improving schools by getting rid of bad teachers. I also find it interesting that more children use alcohol than smoke yet you never hear anyone wanting to raise taxes on that.

connor 7 months, 4 weeks ago

Just like in states such as New York they will tax it and add programs or sell bonds against the predicted income only to find they have taxed it out of profit and it will end up costing more to implement than it gets in proceeds.

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