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On 24 Sep 2006 10:00:51 -0700, kruegerb76{at}hotmail.com wrote:

>
>Amy Guskin wrote:
>> >> On Sat, 23 Sep 2006 11:48:16 -0400, Jan wrote
>> (in article ):
>> >
>> > That said, though...social surgery is happening all around us
all the time as
>> > mores change and new data is obtained.  Just look at the
change that most of
>> > us
>> > have seen happen in our lifetimes-the acceptability of
smoking.  <<
>>
>> :-(
>>
>> ...
>>
>> Have I mentioned lately how much I hate cigarettes?
>
>I hate cigarettes, too, but what's going on now seems... rather odd to
>me.
>
>There's another bond issue up for a new tax on cigarettes here.  The
>money will go to a good cause, kids in need.  I think it'll add
>something like 60 cents to the price of a pack of ciggies.
>
>Now, I find it interesting that slamming the smokers has gotten to be
>so popular these days.  Quite frankly, when the rules started to be
>enforced about having to be away from the building to smoke, I found I
>didn't mind at all the smokers on campus.  :)
>
>And yes, it's a horrible addiction, yadda, yadda.  But am I the only
>person who finds it a bit... odd that when money is needed the first
>thing people think anymore is "raise taxes on cigarettes"?
>
>I'd rather see them take huge cuts out of the casino business that is
>so lucrative in Arizona.  (For those who don't know: on an Indian
>reservation, they can make their own rules to a certain extent.  So in
>a state that doesn't allow gambling you can have casinos, they just
>have to be located on the reservations.)

That's because of (a relatively recently found loophole in) the
treaties with the various Native American nations (which are in some
fashion, independent "states"). Native Americans in general (I
believe) are exempt from Federal income taxes.
I'm not sure it's legal to tax the casinos there.

But isn't that what the various state lotteries are for? Raising money
for various social programs?

-Wendy

>
>And while we're talking sin taxes, why not ask for a tax increase on
>alcohol to pay for the poor kids in need?
>
                                                     
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