Tobacco.org

Ticket tax cut draws ire from grocery/cigarette tax swap supporter 

The Mississippi Senate gave final approval Thursday to a bill that would reduce sales taxes on tickets to some athletic and livestock events, and the move elicited a verbal shot from a supporter of the failed grocery tax cut.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Tommy Robertson, R-Moss Point, urged his colleagues to approve the measure to cut taxes on tickets to state-sanctioned athletic and livestock events from 7 percent to 3 percent.

Robertson is the same senator who, at the request of Gov. Haley Barbour, killed a proposal to increase cigarette taxes and lower the rates on groceries.

"Is it not risky in these uncertain times to give a sales tax cut?" asked Senate Public Health Committee Chairman Alan Nunnelee, R-Tupelo. "So we'll give a tax cut to boxers and horses and cows and hogs?"

Jump to full article »