October 28, 2006
The Proposition 86 poor tax
Call it a cigarette tax, but in reality Proposition 86 would stick it to low-income groups, not Big Tobacco.
By Andrew Chamberlain and Patrick Fleenor, ANDREW CHAMBERLAIN and PATRICK FLEENOR are economists at the Tax Foundation in Washington.
October 28, 2006
IN CALIFORNIA, a state famous for its progressive politics, a proposition on the Nov. 7 ballot includes a shockingly regressive tax on the state's poorest residents. Unfortunately, that's the reality behind Proposition 86 — an initiative that aims to cut smoking through a dramatic hike in the state's cigarette tax, from 87 cents to $3.47 a pack, the nation's highest rate.