TOPEKA, Kan. ? Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson plans to propose raising the state?s tobacco taxes in 2010, spokeswoman Beth Martino told the Associated Press last week.
With Republicans controlling the state legislature, the governor might face strong opposition, although a Senate leader has expressed support. While Parkinson has not decided how much the tax increase will be, he is considering bringing the cigarette tax in line with the national average of $1.34 per pack. Currently, the cigarette tax in Kansas is 79 cents per pack.
?He is going to pursue a tobacco tax of some sort,? said Martino. ?He is still looking at the options.?
Still undecided, too, is what the revenue generated by such an increase will go ? health programs or balancing the state?s budge for fiscal year 2011, which starts July 1.
One estimate found that raising the cigarette tax to $1.34 per pack (a 55 cent increase) would bring in around $88 million during the next fiscal year. Kansas also has a 10 percent tax on other tobacco products, but raising that to 20 percent would only generate $5 million during the same time period.
Senate President Steve Morris said a cigarette tax hike would likely have approval over other tax increases. ?I would support it,? he said. ?I think it?s probably the only tax increase that would have the possibility of getting through the legislature.?
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