Colorado Governor vetoes bill that lowered taxes on non-cigarette tobacco products sold out of state.

Payless Cigars & Pipes, a company owned by The Cigarette Store Corp. / Smoker Friendly was forced to move from the company headquarters in Boulder, Colo. to New Port Richey, Fla. near Tampa Bay.

Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper vetoed SB 18-179, which had overwhelming bi-partisan support in the Colorado House and Senate. It was a bill concerning an extension of the tax credit for tobacco products that a distributor ships to an out of state adult consumer, this bill was signed by the same governor three years ago but had a sunset clause.

Colorado allows this type of credit for every other commodity that has a state excise tax attached to it, including beer, alcohol and fuel.

The company asks, “Is the Colorado economy ever good enough to send a good family business and its employees to another state? Governor Hickenlooper has no answer to this question?” Adding, “Colorado’s loss is Florida’s gain.”