Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, March 7, 1992                   TAG: 9203090175
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: A-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: GREG SCHNEIDER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                LENGTH: Medium

COUNTY MAY GET CIGARETTE TAX

Rural senators came up just two votes short of snuffing the bill entirely for this year. They did manage briefly to slice Roanoke County out of the proposal, but within minutes the vote was reconsidered and reversed.

Roanoke County was let back in, 22-16.

"Every year somebody wants to put another amendment on the bill to include their locality" in the cigarette tax, thundered Sen. Charles Hawkins, R-Chatham. "We are picking the golden goose to death, feather by feather."

Under the spell of its No. 1 cash crop since colonial times, Virginia approaches the cigarette tax with a complex sidestep. The statewide levy is the lowest in the nation: 2 1/2 cents per pack.

Each city is allowed to add its own tax on top. And four Northern Virginia counties - Fairfax, Arlington, Prince William and Loudoun - sought in Friday's measure to add a 15-cent tax.

Roanoke County, added to the bill in a House of Delegates committee, sought a 10-cent tax.

Though the measure addressed only those areas, several senators fought as if it menaced the whole state.

"This has become sort of a Wagnerian struggle between good and evil," observed an amused Sen. Robert Calhoun, R-Alexandria.

The measure goes on to the governor for final action.

YEA OR NAY\ ON CIGARETTE TAX\ IN FAVOR: Sens. Brandon Bell, R-Roanoke; Madison Marye, D-Shawsville; Elliot Schewel, D-Lynchburg; Malfourd "Bo" Trumbo, R-Fincastle.\ OPPOSED: Virgil Goode, D-Rocky Mount; Frank Nolen, D-New Hope; William Wampler, R-Bristol.