THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 14, 1996 TAG: 9604120299
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Short : 27 lines
Everybody favors higher ``sin taxes.'' However, Portsmouth City Council is wise to heed the pleas of small business owners whose bottom line depends a lot on traffic generated by cigarette sales.
The city manager has proposed an increase of 5 cents a pack or 50 cents a carton on cigarettes. It sounds fair enough, except that Portsmouth's tax already is $1 higher per carton than the taxes in Chesapeake and Suffolk. The store owners told council that any increase could drive away customers who only have to drive a few miles for much cheaper smokes.
Council properly asked for a report on sales since the last increase pushed Portsmouth taxes well beyond those in neighboring cities. If the numbers show a definite decrease in sales, the council owes it to the small business owners to try to keep Portsmouth taxes in line with others.
It's not the tax on cigarettes that is bothersome. It's the loss of business for small merchants that should be the main concern. by CNB