Scarcnet News Summaries (Advocacy Institute)
Florida Cities Experience Decline In Tobacco Revenue
Length: pages
Abstract
Smokers bought fewer cigarettes in Florida last year, decreasing the cigarette tax revenue for the cities, according to an article in the ST. PETERSBURG TIMES. The state cigarette tax is 34 cents a pack, of which nearly 13 cents is divided among the cities. Figures show that Florida collected $468 million in cigarette taxes in 1997-98, but that figure dropped to $439 million last year. The state expects a further decline to about $404 million in the coming year.
Jim Lacross, a state budget analyst, believes a major factor in the declining cigarette consumption has been the increase in cigarette prices imposed by the tobacco companies. Other factors could be state anti-smoking programs, changing tax rates in neighboring states, and a shift in social attitudes towards smoking. Department of Revenue spokesperson David Burns said, "We don't know what the exact answer is. There's a number of factors, but the state is seeing a decline in cigarette sales."
Source: Chase Squires, "Cigarette Tax Revenue Decreasing," ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, August 18, 1999, p. 1.