NEWS FROM THE CRA

This just in from the CRA:

CRA Members Are Encouraged To Take Action! On Wednesday of this week, the Kansas legislature will come back to town to address pressing needs of the state, such as how to close a budget gap of over $400 million. One of the most serious proposals on the table is to raise taxes on tobacco products by up to 300%.The Kansas House and Senate need to learn from so many others, and from a basic tenant of taxes and economics: Lower taxes can, in fact, bring in more revenue.Higher taxes simply drive consumers to other venues, out of state, for their purchases, and you're stuck with the same budget mess you began with.Kansas just passed a stringent smoking ban proposal. Limiting use of perfectly legal tobacco products, and then proposing a tax increase on the same product is not a formula for budget success.In addition, and most importantly, Senate Bill 516 will cause harm for many of the great small businesses of Kansas. The local tobacconist, whether in Topeka, Wichita, Overland Park, Lawrence, and points in between, is a part of the community fabric that should be protected from such economic consequences.
We hope that Kansas will not go the way of a Utah, causing irreparable harm to such businesses with long standing roots in the community.
Members of Cigar Rights of America throughout Mid-America need to send a message to members of the Kansas legislature, and if it makes it that far, to Governor Mark Parkinson.
Tell them, No New Tobacco Taxes in Kansas. Tell them to Oppose Senate Bill 516!

For more, and to download a PDF of the bill, visit: http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs020/1102288667527/archive/1103342955427.html