Grover Norquist Wants To Kill Chris Christie's E-Cigarette Tax
SAHIL KAPUR – MARCH 19, 2014, 2:16 PM EDT
The country's most aggressive anti-tax lobbyist is taking aim at Chris Christie over a new sales tax on electronic cigarettes endorsed by the New Jersey governor in his recent budget proposal.
Grover Norquist, the guardian of the notorious anti-tax pledge signed by most national Republicans, name-checked Christie in a recent letter calling on the New Jersey legislature to reject the GOP governor's "misguided" proposal, which would tax e-cigarette products at the same rate as traditional cigarettes.
"Small businesses like convenience stores and especially brick and mortar vape shops will be hardest hit by this $35 million tax increase," Norquist wrote, referring to the state Treasury's estimate of the revenues. "By making New Jersey uncompetitive in e-cigarette pricing, the state would encourage smuggling, which will cost New Jersey small businesses tens of thousands of dollars in lost revenue."
There are deeper undertones to Norquist's salvo. Christie -- despite his woes over a politically-charged traffic scandal -- is weighing a run for president in 2016. Norquist, the president of Americans For Tax Reform, has led the lobbying effort to punish Republican lawmakers who vote for any tax increases.
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