CIGARETTE TAX INCREASE PROPOSED
Thursday, April 7th, 2005 -- 10:20 AM
A bipartisan group of lawmakers wants to raise the state's cigarette tax by a dollar a pack. The increase would raise the average cost of cigarettes in Wisconsin to five dollars per pack and give Wisconsin one of the highest cigarette taxes in the country.But a top aide to Governor Jim Doyle and key lawmakers say they oppose any plans to increase taxes in the upcoming budget.
Some lawmakers say increasing the tax would deter children from smoking and raise an extra 250 (m) million dollars in revenue a year for state health care programs. A coalition of public health officials, hospitals and patients' advocates are supporting the tax increase. They hope that lawmakers will include it in the budget they will send to Doyle later this year.
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