Ethan Explains California Proposition 56
This is number 6 of 17 of the California statewide ballot initiatives that I’ll cover, Proposition 56, “Cigarette Tax to Fund Healthcare, Tobacco Use Prevention, Research, and Law Enforcement. Initiative Constitutional Amendment and Statute.”
I hate smoking, it’s gross, it stinks, and it’s bad for your health. I am also sick and tired of you dangling your beloved cigarette out the window in traffic so I have to inhale that stench. Hot box in your car if you love smoking so much.
This initiative is supposedly to stop kids from smoking and to fund Medi-Cal and other health programs. While more expensive cigarettes will deter some kids (a big win), the rest of it falls apart.
Cigarette sin taxes fail because the dependency on a dwindling revenue stream, as people stop legally purchasing those smokes, becomes a problem.
Also, higher cigarette taxes increase illegal smuggling, thus funding criminal enterprises.
Last, this is an exceptionally regressive tax since 26.3% of smokers are below poverty level, according to the CDC. Think they’ll all quit?
I say NO to Proposition 56.
Tune in to The Ethan Bearman Show Monday through Friday, noon to 2 p.m. on KGO 810 – www.kgoradio.com