Michigan Votes Forum

Introduced in the Senate on February 7, 2012

Click here to view bill details.

 Vote "NO" on this bill.

Taxing someone that buys tobacco from a smokeshop is ridiculous!

Might as well tax someone when they buy discount toilet paper - they are just trying to save a buck. You have already hit pensions - what's next - tax on birthing a baby?

Can't wait till the next election and see how many Republicans have to find 'real' jobs!!!

Arduino, it looks like the person who buys tobacco from a smokeshop and rolls his own cigarettes will not be taxed, just anyone who rolls them for others (whether for sale or for gift?).

Michigan is broke; the politicians, R or D, are going to have to find a way to make some money unless the State wants to roll back some of its services. Whoever tries to roll back services will hear loudly from those who benefitted from those services. 

My husband and I are definitely not happy about the tax on pensions, but that was an amazing benefit with no good rationale except that lots of union members had pensions, so it was an easy way to please them/buy their votes.  It also attracted some retirees to Michigan, but it's hard to know how many will now choose Florida or Texas or any other state that does have an income tax at all.  If you like Michigan, Florida's not a good substitute! 

I don't want Michigan (or, for that matter, the United States) to become like Greece, with angry citizens rioting and burning and looting in the streets, but somthing's gotta give if you want to maintain a government, so choose your poison, higher taxes or fewer services.  (The other alternative would be to replace all existing politicians -- local, state and federal -- with honest, honorable, intelligent and prudent people who would spend carefully and neither loot the treasury nor reward their friends with lots o' taxpayer cash.  How likely do you think THAT is??)  

 Why is it when a individual brings jobs to Michigan, some Senate person with nothing else to do tries to stop them from helping people. The government people do not hesitate to give themselves pay raises, but will always find ways to stop the so called "Little People" from making it. I did over twenty years in the military on active duty and I believe that we that wore the uniform paid the price for freedom. If you are in a Government position and have never wore a Armed Forces Uniform you really have no say to us that served. Why don't you all try to bring it back where welfare and unemployment is down, not a political issue that none of you can solve. Us that smoke legal cigaretts have the right to go to a place where we can roll a carton in about 15 minutes and the staff that work there can not touch our tobacco or product while being manufactured, they can only work on the machine is something goes wrong. They pay taxes on this and so do we, the so called reidents of this fine state.

Roger "fat boy" Kahn is a RINO (Republican In Name Only). He is so consumed with everybody else's lifestyle and the alleged cost of their  medical care yet he is two cheeseburgers away from a lifetime of diabetes and heart disease. Quite the hypocrite indeed. When will those like him in gov't learn it's not their job to protect us from ourselves. 

Senators Kahn and Hune asked and were granted unanimous consent to make statements and moved that the statements be printed in the Journal. The motion prevailed. Senator Kahn’s statement is as follows: The legislation before us today, Senate Bill No. 930, addresses the need for a new tobacco enforcement plan for Michigan. Michigan’s tobacco tax rates are among the highest in the country and certainly the highest in our region, excepting Wisconsin. High tax rates, along with the disparity in tax rates from state to state, drive cross­border and illicit trade of tobacco products Michigan receives over $1 billion in tobacco tax revenue, but yearly loses tens of millions of dollars more due to the illicit tobacco trade. Michigan taxes cigarettes at $2 per pack, and there are also Master Settlement Agreement revenues to Michigan, as well, which are in play here. Specifically, over $300 million has currently been escrowed and is being litigated. Nonparticipating manufacturers are also taxed through the Michigan equity assessment. An investment in a comprehensive, statewide tobacco tax enforcement effort will not only return many millions in tax revenues to our state, but also protect Michigan’s legitimate wholesalers and retailers who cannot compete against illegal schemes. Under this legislation, a coordinated effort between the Michigan State Police, the Attorney General, and the Michigan Department of Treasury is capable of significantly reducing illegal activity, thereby significantly increasing state tax revenues. It is my belief that the increase will be well over $50 million per year. We specifically placed money in last year’s budget to aid in this program and have been working since then to construct a better program. I have spoken with officials in Indiana, California, and Massachusetts, as well as our Michigan State Police, Treasury, and Attorney General. An effective program will also help us recover escrowed Master Settlement Agreement dollars that the cigarette manufacturers will be more willing to pay those dollars as we will have an adequate amount of diligence in enforcing our laws. The major components of Senate Bill No. 930 are digital cigarette tax indicia data and its flow digital cigarette tax indicia which have the ability to authenticate in a multitude of different ways. But more important, with a digital indicia platform, the digital stamping machines will have the ability to provide data to the state in a format that becomes the basis for an aggressive, comprehensive statewide enforcement effort. Field enforcement is the real success of the cigarette tax authentication program and is improved effectiveness of boots on the ground by providing them evidence required to both deter and convict illegal schemes. States utilizing a digital cigarette tax indicia program can provide enforcement officials with smartphone technology for use in compliance checks in the marketplace. Enforcement agents can make real­time decisions regarding criminal activity and take the appropriate action. This ability will have a chilling effect on illicit trade as word spreads regarding the state’s aggressive, comprehensive statewide enforcement effort. High­tech cigarette making machines that pay very little taxes are appearing across Michigan and across our nation. The Michigan Department of Treasury recently pegged the number at 80 to 100 machines. More and more are coming online and increasing this problem. The bill before you requires those who use these machines to pay their taxes just like everybody else. It is time for Michigan to take action regarding a new tobacco enforcement plan. I appreciate your time listening to my explanation and urge members to vote for this needed bill. Senator Hune’s statement is as follows: As we discuss and debate Senate Bill No. 930, we have to absolutely discuss or contemplate another portion of the cigarette tax. It’s a portion, not necessarily this Legislature, but the infinite wisdom in Lansing did several years ago, and that was increasing the states’ tobacco taxes to astronomical levels. Ultimately, that policy that the Legislature adopted not too many years ago has forced literally an underground economy. We are seeing smuggling at record levels. Folks are buy­ ing their tobacco products out of state only to bring them back into the state to utilize those products. We see a bazaar loophole like the issue we are trying to address today. So with your permission, I request through you, Madam Chair, to our colleagues, I urge additional support for Senate Bill No. 517, a bill that I introduced that lowers the tobacco taxes to a more appropriate level.

Hmmm, over $1 billion in tax revenue, huh?  You'd almost think they'd stop treating smokers like lepers, given that this $1 billion+ probably finances lots of wonderful programs.  Perhaps the non-smokers should thank the next smoker they see?

 This bill isn't only to authorize a digital stamp, that will cost millions of dollars to implement, but its also about big tobacco trying to shut down the little guy and his rolling smokes shop, where a customer can pay to rent a machine that rolls their smokes for them. It saves the consumer time and can help save them some money.  They attached this to the bill and exaggerated the tax revenue like normal.  Big tobacco should just pay what they owe and shut up. Kahn, who has already faced 2 recall efforts should quit with the shady politics and pay offs. He also should stop making threats to other reps about him being the head of appropriations.  Pig.

truth

 trim the politicians pay and benefits. This tax is about big tobacco squishing the little guy. They wanted to label the consumer that came into a smoke shop and rented their rolling machine a manufacturer of cigarettes and the smoke shop as well. The customer rolling smokes for themselves isnt a manufacturer, and a smoke shop renting a machine isnt a manufacturer. You'd need to know more about the bill and the intent. The digital stamp is fine, its just the added lets kill the smoke shop jargon, added in by the lobbying power of big tobacco.

 who do these slimy politicians think they are? we vote them in under false pretenses and when the get into office, they do the total opposite of what they say they're going to do on their campaign trail. i am so utterly sick of them "thinking" they know what's best for us. of couse they want to squash the little guy, they still get their 6 figure incomes and have their gas for their cars paid for. God forbid people try to save money in this shithole of an economy that they created. from the president all the way down to the local mayor of any town, they are so crooked that they will need to be screwed into the ground when they die.i don't trust any of them democrap or republicker. we need a total recall on ALL politicians and start this government over with people who actually give a rats ass about the people who pay their salaries and vote them into their cushy jobs. Freedom, that's a laugh, we're only free to do what we're told bottom line.

 Here we go putting more people out of WORK, just what we needed in todays world.  This is a bunch of BS for sure. How can they say there making the smokes when im doing all the work. Where i go they sit and play cards while i make my smokes. I sure hope all those names that voted YES to this remmber it when it comes time for them to run for ofice agian. Why not let the People Vote... ??? I called all my Reps on this and eveyone of them voted yes on it... HOW SAD...... I guess i wont be listening to them anymore there just a bunch of damn lier's.

This is the stuff the American dream is made up of. The idea that someone can through hard work and guts be judged not by his license but by the work they do. Patio Furniture

 I was told he recieve a check for 10 million dollars from RJ Reynolds after it passed, does anyone know if this is true. The so called media does not say a dam thing about it.

 There also is nothing on Kahns site about recieving this kick back, oh, I mean donation! Right!! Sick of politics as usual. Its not about the people anymore  its about how much they can put in THEIR pockets. Very Sad!!!!!!!!!!!

Make sure you get the list of people who voted for this and dont vote them back in.