Let me tell you how it will be....

Ghod save us all, I've bn doing some calculating recently about Washington state's intention 2 add another $1 in built-in tax on each package of cigarettes sold. (Which I raved about Xtensively a couple wks back under the title "Taxman.")
The built-in tax currently hovers around $3/pack, which means a pack of 20 Marlboro "Reds" sold at my store costs $7.27 after the 8.9% sales tax (which totals 58 cents per pack).
I'm going 2 keep using that $3/pack figure cos it's EZer 4 me 2 multiply-out w/ my 3rd-grade mathematics education. Bsides, the #'s R gonna get huge enuf pretty fast....
I don't smoke, & smokers can continue w/ these outrageous prices if they want, that's their choice. I'm way more concerned about where the tax $$$ goes. & it piles up pretty quick.
Last wk I kept track of the # of packs of smokes I sold during an avg Thursday nite shift -- 25. My store's afternoon guy Steve sez he can sell 30 packs of smokes per shift EZ. Let's say 30's about avg 4 each shift, since that'll balance-out slow shifts (Sun morn) & busy nites (Fri & Sat). It's also EZer 4 me 2 multiply w/....
If I were 2 sell 30 packs of smokes per shift & $3 of each pack sold is built-in tax that goes directly 2 the state, that's $90 per shift, not even counting the sales-tax, some of which I'm told gets used 4 local svcs. (The sales-tax avgs about $15 per shift or $45 per day, just on 30 packs of smokes, not counting NEthing else.)
If my store sells an avg of 30 packs of smokes per shift, 3 shifts per day, that's $270 per day in cigarette-tax going 2 the state, not counting the sales tax. That's $1,890 per wk. That's $7,560 per month. That's $90,720 per year. & that's just from my store.
Let's say the state does hike cigarette taxes another $1 per pack. If I sell 30 packs inna shift that'll B $120 per shift going 2 the state. Or $360 per day. Or $2,520 per week. Or $10,080 per month. $120,960 per year.
My math may not B perfect, but w/ #'s this big I don't think it matters much. & all this revenue is just from 1 little store in 1 little town. & as I'm sure U know, there R convenience stores EVERYWHERE. I've got no idea how many little stores there R in the state of Washington. & that's not even taking in2 account all the big grocery stores & what must B the truly HUGE #'s they R & would B contributing 2 the state's general fund.
The way I C it, a yr of cigarette sales at my little store pays 4 1 state employee's salary & benefits. Since the cigarette-tax revenue goes 2 the general fund, it can B used 4 NEthing the state wants 2 spend it on -- roads, schools, major highway projects, salaries....
Some of this revenue MAY get used locally 2 support county-level programs, police, fire protection, etc. But my understanding is that mosta that stuff is funded at the local level thru property taxes & some of the state sales tax. Most school operations costs R funded locally thru property taxes or levies.
...I just think it's a lot of $$$. & I don't think the state does sucha great job Xplaining where it all goes.
The state is reportedly $2.8-billion short of funding 4 the projected state-gov't budget 4 the next 2 yrs. Gov. Christine Gregoire (who 1 of my customers called "Christine Gargoyle" last wk) was apparently on TV a few days back, saying: "We don't want to do this (raise taxes). But we have no choice." She even called a special session of the state Legislature 2 work-out ways HOW they're gonna fund the budget, new taxes or not.
Along w/ the Xtra $1 tax on smokes, the Legislature is looking at new built-in taxes on bottled water (3 cents per ounce, an additional 60 cents 4 a 20-oz bottle), sodas, energy drinks ... & candy. Water & candy currently Rn't taxed at all, there's no sales tax charged on them.
Why every school kid in the state isn't protesting outside the state capitol in Olympia, I don't know. At least some of the grown-ups have jobs, which may B what the lawmakers R counting on....
I don't know about NEbody else, but I just assume that the new taxes R going 2 B approved. That's usually what Nds up happening here....
I know U folks out there may not care about all this if yr not in Washington, but compare R cigarette prices 2 where U live. If yr a smoker U might especially wanna compare prices & C how much more U'd havta spend if U lived here.
& I think the question's still open about how much the state can legitimately tax 1 item. Coupla folks have suggested 2 me that the heavy tax on smokes is an effort 2 turn Washington in2 a "smoke-free" state. That doesn't really concern me. But I'd like a better picture of where all the tax $$$'s going.
The state's Lotto folks at least publish a yearly report of where all their revenue went -- & a lot of it goes 2 schools & road projects & paying-off 2 sports stadiums in Seattle ... but a lot of the Lotto $$$ also goes directly 2 the state's general fund, which means it can B used NEwhere.
Still, I think the resta the state gov't should havta publicly account 4 where people's taxes go. It's just 2 huge an amount of $$$. Some state Mployees' salaries have bn 2 high 4 yrs. & I still don't hear the Gov or NE1 else offering 2 take a 10% pay cut 2 help get the state thru these tough budget times....
1 last Xample: At my store, 2 packs of Marb Reds cost $14.53 after sales tax. Back home in Idaho, where there is no built-in tax on smokes, my Dad tells me that 2 packs of Marb Reds cost $7.31 after sales tax.
Smokers' eyes bug out when I tell them this, & we all agree that nobody zings ya w/ the taxes like Washington.
Somebody who wanted 2 make a quick profit could haul a truckload of smokes from Idaho in2
Washington & sell em at the state's current outrageous prices. But I'm sure there must B laws against that.... Or else Washington would tax U 4 the smokes U bring in....
...& if all the smokers were 2 quit Bcos of the out-of-control prices, & cheated the state outta all that tax revenue that lawmakers had bn counting on ... I have absolutely no doubt that this state would find something else 2 tax in order 2 make-up 4 it....