Mayor renews calls to let city tax smokers for tax strapped schools

[The Straight Story]

Mayor Nutter Renews His Calls To State Lawmakers To Let The City Tax Cigarettes For Cash-Strapped Schools

PHILADELPHIA (CBS)– The 2014 edition of the Philadelphia school district budget crisis will soon get underway and Mayor Nutter is renewing his call for Harrisburg to let the city tax cigarettes.

You probably recall that last year Mayor Nutter proposed a two-dollar per pack tax on cigarettes, with the proceeds going directly to the cash-starve school district.

City Council agreed, but state lawmakers who must authorize the tax did not.

Now Nutter is again calling on Harrisburg to green light a city cigarette tax although he’s well aware that the state is hearing from lobbyists for tobacco-related interests:

“You know, it’s the United States of America. People have a right to lobby. I just think that folks here should be lobbying on behalf of children.”

http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2014/03/10/mayor-nutter-renews-his-calls-to-state-lawmakers-to-let-the-city-tax-cigarettes-for-cash-strapped-schools/

[pipoman]

1. This isn't the first story

which made me think about how appropriate the good mayor's name is. .

How about something actually progressive, like pressuring the state to pass legal pot with the tax revenue and reduction of crime enforcement they might actually be able to tax people who have money.70- 100 million first year in Colorado.