With the popularity of e-cigarettes or “vapor” products that have taken consumer markets by storm as a smokeless alternative of cigarettes, state and local governments are faced with revenue declines.
State and local governments commonly defend extremely high cigarette taxes by earmarking funds for education funding.
In the city of Philadelphia, the city council recently imposed a $2 per-pack tax hike on cigarettes and are also considering an new taxes on e-cigarettes.
The government after all, can’t lose revenue by the increased use of a healthier alternative to tobacco cigarettes.
To protest Philadelphia’s proposed tax hikes, Americans for Tax Reform (ATR), a tax cutting group led by Grover Norquist, will be holding a discussion in Philadelphia with consumer advocates to represent smoke-free alternatives.
The event which will be held on Sunday at Bridget Foy’s in Philadelphia, will be open to the public and free drinks will be offered, and as ATR stated in their announcement, “especially to the press.”
