INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana House Republicans have put forward a two-year state spending plan that counts on revenue from a $1 per-pack cigarette tax increase.
The $31.7 billion plan includes a modest funding increase for K-12 education and directs an additional $10 million to the state’ preschool pilot program for needy kids.
It sets aside $5 million in funding for efforts to be undertaken by Gov. Eric Holcomb’s new drug czar and would give Indiana state troopers a 12 percent pay raise over the next two years.
The proposal put forward Wednesday by House Ways and Means Chairman Tim Brown was approved by his own committee on a 14-8 vote, with Democrats in opposition.
Key Republicans in the state Senate have already signaled that they object to cigarette tax increase.
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So smokers will now pay for babysitting for “needy kids”. Also for k-12 what? Too much money is already wasted on our education system that is ineffective and corrupt. What difference does it really make? None of this money will go where they claim anyway…Just squandered over who knows what. It is so nice that our government can “target” a single group or commodity for unreasonable and ridiculous taxes. Where will they go when smoking is gone? A “fat” tax on Fatty food and drinks would make them a fortune but they can’t do that because they are all fat. Didn’t Americans start a war over unreasonable taxes once? Good thing our government works for us so this will never need to happen again!