From the Lexington Herald Leader:
"Cutting alone, though, only gets the state about a third of the way to the nearly half-billion mark."
"To make even this slim budget work, there's got to be more revenue, and Beshear is looking to a 70 cent a pack increase in the tax on cigarettes to make up about half the shortfall."
"We have long supported increasing this tax, to improve both revenue and public health. When the price increases, some people quit smoking and a lot — especially young people — don't start."
The budget hasn't gotten "slim," yet. Keeping bureaucrats fat and happy is not the taxpayers' responsibility. Until we force them to cut back on their government lifestyles, nothing will change in Kentucky.
The cigarette tax is merely a gateway drug for Gov. Beshear and the Frankfort big-spenders. Stopping that and then cutting off the excessive borrowing will get us on the road to smaller, less intrusive government and a freer Kentucky.
