Conflict surrounds cigarette
tax hike
By Heather Mangold
City
Editor
A 50 cent increase in the Indiana cigarette tax
is not receiving good feedback.
Rep. Sheila Klinker, D-27th, said while she supports
Gov. O'Bannon's budget proposal, which includes a 50 cent cigarette
tax increase for additional funding for education, voters have been
expressing concern.
"What we're hearing in our caucus is that people
are not willing to vote for the full 50 cents," said Klinker. "And I
hear that is the story from the Republicans too."
Klinker said that voters might support the proposal
if the tax increase was not so great.
She said that the proposal has definitely sparked
public interest.
"Somebody is getting the message out pretty well
and that's good," said Klinker.
Terry Strueh, vice president of state relations
at Purdue, said he agrees that lawmakers are not enthusiastic about
spending 50 cents more on each pack of cigarettes Hoosiers buy.
"The conference committees met (Tuesday) afternoon
and not much support was expressed for the governor's cigarette tax,"
Strueh said.
He said that House Ways and Means Committee chairman
Patrick Bauer, D-South Bend, proposed that the caucuses consider using
gaming revenues for an additional means of funding for Indiana.
Strueh said the caucuses agreed that they would
take the idea back to their colleagues. A response from the caucuses
is expected later this week.
The conference committees reviewing all versions
of Indiana's fiscal budget have until Sunday to resolve differences
and come up with a final version of the budget.
Klinker said she was not sure if the committees
would meet their deadline but said she was optimistic.
"Sometimes things can come together really, really
quickly," said Klinker. "This one I can't tell you for sure, but I think
they are getting closer day by day."
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