Nebraska Lawmaker Introduces 210% Cigarette Tax Increase

But Nebraska's governor stands firmly against enacting any new taxes.

January 18, 2011

LINCOLN, NE €" As promised, a Nebraska lawmaker introduced a bill last week that would raise Nebraska's cigarette tax from 64 cents a pack to $1.99, Bloomberg reports.

State Sen. Mike Gloor of Lincoln said his bill would generate about $73 million in annual revenue for the state.

Opponents of the measure maintain the bill is a money grab in a year when lawmakers are scrambling to address a $1 billion shortfall in the state's two-year budget, though Gloor insists his main purpose was not to raise money.

"My real reason for introducing that bill was that I ran hospitals for almost three decades and was surrounded by ill people all day €" many of them because they smoked," Gloor said. "I know how much that is costing society. I consider this a health-care bill."

Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman opposes the bill, saying that he is against enacting any new taxes.

Nebraska's 64 cents per pack cigarette tax ranks 38th in the nation, below the national average of $1.45 per pack.

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