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Philly To Swap Soda Tax For Cigar Tax
Soda Tax, Trash Fee Smoke Out Revised Proposal
PHILADELPHIA - People who try to save money by rolling their own cigarettes may soon have to pay up.
A plan to tax businesses that sell tobacco products is expected to be introduced Thursday before Philadelphia City Council.
The proposed local tax would impact cigars, chewing and pipe tobacco, and other related products, but not cigarettes.
Councilman Darrell Clarke said he expects the plan to gain support in council.
"I think it is reasonable. We think that it's obviously going to get significant support," Clarke said. "I don't want to have to get into the health implications of it, but I think that's quite obvious. At the end of the day, I think it is a reasonable approach to try and fill in our budget gap."
Clarke said Pennsylvania is the only state in the union that doesn't tax tobacco products.
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