This will have the opposite effect, as taxes rise people will flock to the reservation to buy smokes and gas there. Sure some people will quit but most won’t. But look who it really hurts, the people that can least afford it, the working fool. Don’t even think about posting how bad smoking is and blah, blah, blah…. Stick to the point.

CONSERVATIVES STRONGLY OPPOSE

BUDGET PROPOSAL TO INCREASE CIGARETTE TAX

BOOTLEGGERS SUPPLY TERRORIST CIGARETTE PROFITS

Ft. Hamilton Station, NY — Recent reports (AP Story by Michael Gormley - March 29) indicate that the elected leaders of New York State, Governor David A. Paterson and the Legislative Leaders, are considering adding an additional $1.50 per pack increase to the current $1.50 state tax on cigarettes.

If this is true, and we have no reason to believe it is not, our elected officials have redefined ignominy; in their haste to agree to a bad budget, they are literally handing money to terrorist.

We have seen many things in New York State since our beginnings in 1962 but this one - to increase the tax on a pack of cigarettes to $3.00 (even more in the confines of New York City) is by far the most egregious act ever by three men in a room and those who will meekly vote for it.

In November 2007, State Senator Jeffrey Klein joined with Congressman Anthony Weiner, and called for congressional investigations and putting “additional” teeth in existing federal laws based on documentation in several cases that uncovered the funding of Hamas, Hezbollah and other terrorist groups.

New York State Legislators answer to this: double the tax on cigarettes while refusing tocollect from Indian Reservations.

In 2006, Canadian Karim H. Nassar pleads guilty to smuggling $500,000 of cigarettes from the Cattaraugus Indian Reservation. He admits that profits were sent to Hezbollah guerillas.

New York State Legislators answer to this: double the tax on cigarettes while refusing tocollect from Indian Reservations.

There are numerous other cases, all cited in a letter sent to every elected Assemblyman and Senator in January of this year.

New York State Legislators answer to this: double the tax on cigarettes while refusing tocollect from Indian Reservations.

What will our esteemed legislators say when our citizens are attacked by terrorists? How will they explain that they were too timid to collect the cigarette tax from Indian reservations while doubling the tax on those who purchase cigarettes in their neighborhood? How will they explain that in their haste to pass a bad budget they drove good people to the bootleggers who supply money to Hamas, Hezbollah and other terrorist groups?