Cigar Association of America, over the past several days, has defeated harmful taxation and regulation in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
On June 26, the Cigar Association of America (CAA) was alerted that cigars and other tobacco products were being considered for new taxes, to help fund a $29 billion annual budget in Pennsylvania. The Philadelphia delegation of legislators was pushing for a statewide other tobacco products (OTP) tax to provide revenue to fund the Philadelphia school district.
CAA Vice President Chris Newbry and association lobbyist Gerald Kupris spent several days in Harrisburg working to defeat the proposal. After the OTP tax proposal failed, Philadelphia legislators began pursuing legislation that would authorize the City of Philadelphia to implement a $2-a-pack tax on cigarettes and little cigars.
While this city-wide tax proposal passed the Senate, CAA has been successful in preventing a House vote. CAA feels confident that the tax increase will not be adopted in the near future.
Meanwhile in New Jersey, bills increasing cigar taxes, banning flavored cigars, taxing little cigars, increasing the age to purchase tobacco and restricting smoking in public places were all introduced and deliberated. The CAA, working with its partners in the cigar industry, successfully defeated all tax proposals.
A bill did pass that allows local municipalities to adopt ordinances that prohibit smoking on up to 85% of public beaches and in parks. The bill has not been signed by Gov. Chris Christie, and CAA is asking the governor to veto the legislation.
Two bills increasing the age to purchase tobacco from 19 to 21 were introduced in the Senate and House. While the Senate recently passed age increase legislation, the House is recessed until fall and is not expected to act before that time. CAA is lobbying members of the House to defeat what would be an unprecedented increase in the age to purchase tobacco in New Jersey.
