Jump to full article: Pensacola (FL) News Journal, 2009-02-06
Author: Jim Ash * News Journal capital bureau
Intro: Sen. Thad Altman, R-Merritt Island, chairman of the Finance and Tax Committee, predicted Thursday that a state cigarette tax increase will be part of his chamber's strategy for dealing with Florida's potentially $4 billion budget shortfall.
"I truly believe that the future of our state is jeopardized by a lack of revenue," he said.
On Wednesday, President Barack Obama signed federal legislation that will raise cigarette taxes nationwide by 61 cents, bringing the federal tax to a little more than $1 a pack.
The $33 billion in new federal revenue will be used to provide subsidized health insurance to 4 million children over the next four and a half years, potentially cutting the number of uninsured children in the nation in half.
Democrats in the Florida Legislature pushed unsuccessfully in a special budget-cutting session last month for a $1 a pack increase.
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