It's not a good time to be a smoker. New York City smokers already pay the highest cigarette taxes in the nation, but a new state law will push those taxes even higher this summer. The state legislature approved a bill adding a state tax of $1.60 to every pack sold, effective July 1. The bill will raise the state tax to $4.35 per pack. That makes New York's tax on smokes the highest in the nation.
New York City smokers pay an additional municipal tax of $1.50 per pack, for a current total tax of $4.25 per pack. That's the highest state-local tax in the country. This means that smokers in the city will pay $5.85 per pack in taxes alone. That drives the average local price up to nearly $11 per pack, according to some estimates.
You may think it's okay to go after smokers and rape their wallets since smoking is bad and yucky, but you are missing the point. Once they are done with smokers, they may come after you! Maybe a $10 beer or a $5 candy bar. Stop complaining. These things are bad for you. You should be happy you are being taxed and taught a lesson by Uncle Sam.
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