Tobacco Documents Online

f ro m Assemblyman Edward ' K a ehra!er New York State Assembly, State Capitol, Albany; N.Y'. 12248.-Telephone (518) 472-2760 Community Office, 4915 Broadway, New York City, N.Y. 100341-TeJephone (212) 942-1065 73RD DISTRICT FOR RELEASE' April 9, 1979 STATEM.EN'T OF ASSEMBLYNIAN' EDWARD H. LEHNER (D-L MAN) AND SENATOR JOHN'J. MARCHI (R-C STATEN ISLAND AND .IAN) ON THE FILING OF A BILL ATTACKING THE PROBLEM OF CIGARETTE TAX'STAMP FORGERY AND THE COMBINED:TAX', LOSS' TO THE CITY AND STATE OF NEW YORK OF APPROXI- MATELY 50 NIiLLION'DOLLARS'A1'NdJALLY We are introducing today leg,isl!ation to prevent State cigarette tax forgery which is depriviag the State and City of over 50 million dollars. "It is outrageous thatwhen our citizens are crying out for tax relief and for additional and improved services, we permit a cigarette tax system that enables the underworld to steal approximately 50'million dollars in annual revenues from the State and!City. Our bill will stem,this revenue rip-off and reduce criminal activity without encouraging additional cigarette smoking'," Assemblyman Lehner said!.. Our bill which,is co-sponsored by 30 members of'the Assembly would: 1.. Require every domestic cigarette manufacturer to affix the,State or City tax stamp at the factory and prohibit the sale of cigarettes in,the State unless such,taac stamps are affixed to the pac:~_ prior to being shipped into the State. 2. Require the tax stamp to be affixed to the pack itself and ndQos, the outside cellophane wrapper as under current law. 3. Require the date of packagwng,to be placed on the pack,simultaneously to the affixation of the tax stamp. The placing oflthe date on the pack would,then be ccmbined with an advertising campaign,to encourage New Yorkers to look,for the dated tax,stamp to insure freshness and'to prevent organized!crime from obr,aining its annual' theft of 50 million dollars. U363Sa31 Last year's proposal supported by the Governor sought to repeal the New York,City tax of 8'cents per pack and to reduce the State tax of 1!5 cents per pack by 11 penny., We opposed such tax reduction urged' by the Governor and!we do not believe that the Administration will again press for such tax reduetion. The lowering of the price of cigarettes through a tax reduction would encourage additionalg smoking and resul!t,in a windfaTl' to the tobacco industry which .vigorously, lobbied for the reduction6 It is wrong for the State to reduce cigarette taxes at a time when health authorities are urging peonle,to discontinue smokinq.