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Are our rights really worth the money required to make up the current Wisconsin budget deficit?
Jump to full article: The Daily Cardinal (University of Wisconsin, Madison), 2009-09-21
Author: Collin Wisniewski
Intro: Over the last two years, Wisconsin smokers saw a dramatic increase in the taxing of tobacco and cigarette. As part of efforts to fill state deficits, Gov. Jim Doyle approved a large amount of legislation over the last five years to increase the price of cigarettes to boost state revenue and promote a healthier Wisconsin.
The Wisconsin state budget has fallen deeply into the red this year, but taxing cigarettes will not help bring it back in to the black. By taxing cigarettes, the government is abridging the rights of citizens rather than accepting their fiscal responsibility.
. . .
The government cannot simply tax a good without thinking of the possible complications that come with that tax, especially if it infringes on citizens rights. Passing increases on taxes for goods that people enjoy simply to fill deficit issues created by government officials who could not balance the budget is illogical and unjust to the citizens.
Citizens should not have to pay more out of pocket for the mistakes made by irresponsible spending by the government. This is not merely an issue of taxing cigarettes, but taxing and scapegoating a good in order to justify poor planning.
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