Tobacco tax increase stalled in Rules

A bill that would hike the state cigarette tax by 50 cents per pack was killed Wednesday in the House Rules Committee.

HB355 by Rep. Paul Ray, R-Clearfield, would have had a tough up-hill battle in any case, since both Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. nor GOP legislative leaders say they want no tax hikes of any kind in the 2008 Legislature.

House Rules Committee sends bills out for required public hearings in other committees. And a motion to send out HB355 only got one vote out of six members.

Ray's bill would hike the current 69.5-cent-per-20-cigarette pack by an additional 50 cents. That's a 72 percent increase and would raise an extra $25 million to $29 million annually.

Ray wanted to use the extra cash to fund tobacco cessation programs and anti-teen smoking programs.

Ray said he'd talk to each Rules Committee member to try and get his bill kicked free.

"The tobacco companies will not have it that easy if I have any say," Ray said.