Rex proposes rise in cigarette tax
COLUMBIA — Anti-tobacco and education groups have joined the state schools chief in calling on legislators to increase the state's cigarette tax to the national average.
State Superintendent Jim Rex said Thursday that the state's 7-cents-per-pack cigarette tax should be increased by $1.27 per pack. He wants half of the additional revenue to go toward education temporarily so the state can stop looming teacher furloughs.
The state's lowest-in-the-nation cigarette tax has not changed since 1977.
The Democratic gubernatorial candidate said South Carolina's cigarette tax should be tied to the national average so that it automatically increases when other states raise theirs.
House Ways and Means Chairman Dan Cooper said lawmakers are unlikely to seriously consider the idea.
E-mail this story
Printer-friendly version
Comments
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Notice about comments:Postandcourier.com is pleased to offer readers the enhanced ability to comment on stories. We expect our readers to engage in lively, yet civil discourse. Postandcourier.com does not edit user submitted statements and we cannot promise that readers will not occasionally find offensive or inaccurate comments posted in the comments area. Responsibility for the statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not postandcourier.com. If you find a comment that is objectionable, please click "report abuse" and we will review it for possible removal. Please be reminded, however, that in accordance with our Terms of Use and federal law, we are under no obligation to remove any third party comments posted on our website. Read our full Terms and Conditions.
Users can now build user-to-user connections, follow friends' recent posts, add an avatar that fits their personality, and more. If you have posted here before you'll need to sign up again, or if you've never posted before, start now by signing up!
- Most Commented
- Most Emailed
- Shared
- Upper King on rise: Hotels, apartments, restaurants changing face of downtown area
- Missing woman case gets murkier
- Missing woman's fiance found dead in his home
- Body of missing woman's fiance was found near handgun
- DAVID SLADE: S.C. offers hybrid car tax credit
- Pinterest: Pinning hopes and dreams
- Black women today: Strong. Resilient. Ambitious.
- Facebook posts may cost you a job
- Texts from missing Mount Pleasant woman's phone 'normal'
- MCDERMOTT COLUMN: Golf business has risks, rewards
