Proposed cigarette tax could help UTC funding
Michael Elrod
Issue date: 4/12/07 Section: News
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By Michael Elrod
Staff Reporter
A new plan aims to increase the tax on cigarettes from 20 to 60 cents and allocates the additional profit to support Tennessee education, according to state government officials.
The plan supported by Governor Phil Bredeson, is called "Students First!," and the main objective is to improve the quality of primary and secondary education, according to Bredeson. The tax would reportedly impact only 25 percent of the population, and the 40 percent increase is estimated to bring in about $220 million annually, according to Bredeson.
Laura Kozlowski, a Chicago, Ill., senior, said she supports the new proposal because it's an incentive to help her quit smoking. Cigarettes are bad for your health, and they cost a lot of money, she said.
"Every year, you could save over a thousand dollars," Kozlowski said. "Think of what you could do with that money."
John Schneider, a Norfolk, Va., sophomore, said even if the tax is raised to 60 cents, it's still cheaper than where he is from.
He also said he doesn't feel the new tax will decrease the number of smokers in Tennessee.
A preliminary strategy, which Bredeson announced last week, would allow $120 million be spent for high-risk students, $27 million for high schools with large growth rates, and the additional funds would be used for anti-smoking campaigns as well as aid in the battle of rising tuition and fee costs in universities.
Jessica Langston, a Chattanooga sophomore, said although increasing the cigarette tax is an odd way to increase funds for education, she supports the idea and hopes the university gets the funding for new facilities.
Richard Brown, vice chancellor of finance and operations, said he has already developed plans for using the money.
According to Brown, the university system has asked for around $48 to $50 million to help fund base improvements like equipment, lighting and new buildings, including the new library the university has requested.
Staff Reporter
A new plan aims to increase the tax on cigarettes from 20 to 60 cents and allocates the additional profit to support Tennessee education, according to state government officials.
The plan supported by Governor Phil Bredeson, is called "Students First!," and the main objective is to improve the quality of primary and secondary education, according to Bredeson. The tax would reportedly impact only 25 percent of the population, and the 40 percent increase is estimated to bring in about $220 million annually, according to Bredeson.
Laura Kozlowski, a Chicago, Ill., senior, said she supports the new proposal because it's an incentive to help her quit smoking. Cigarettes are bad for your health, and they cost a lot of money, she said.
"Every year, you could save over a thousand dollars," Kozlowski said. "Think of what you could do with that money."
John Schneider, a Norfolk, Va., sophomore, said even if the tax is raised to 60 cents, it's still cheaper than where he is from.
He also said he doesn't feel the new tax will decrease the number of smokers in Tennessee.
A preliminary strategy, which Bredeson announced last week, would allow $120 million be spent for high-risk students, $27 million for high schools with large growth rates, and the additional funds would be used for anti-smoking campaigns as well as aid in the battle of rising tuition and fee costs in universities.
Jessica Langston, a Chattanooga sophomore, said although increasing the cigarette tax is an odd way to increase funds for education, she supports the idea and hopes the university gets the funding for new facilities.
Richard Brown, vice chancellor of finance and operations, said he has already developed plans for using the money.
According to Brown, the university system has asked for around $48 to $50 million to help fund base improvements like equipment, lighting and new buildings, including the new library the university has requested.
