Juneau Tobacco Tax Increase (2009)

From Ballotpedia

The Juneau Tobacco Tax Increase was on the October 6 ballot in the city and borough of Juneau, Alaska.

The National Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependence-Juneau (NCADD-Juneau) backed this measure that would increase taxes on tobacco products from 12 percent to 45 percent. The proposed tax increase will also raise the tax on cigarette packs from 30 cents to $1. The Juneau Assembly Finance Committee voted on July 23, 2009 to pass the measure to the ballot, however the General Assembly had the final say on whether to place the measure on the ballot. As a result, on August 24, 2009, the Juneau General Assembly voted to put the measure on the October ballot.^[1][2]

Supporters maintain that although there would undoubtedly be an increase in revenue from the tax, there are more important reasons for the measure. According to NCADD-Juneau's tobacco program coordinator Wendy Hamilton: "The more expensive cigarettes are, the fewer youth start and it delays the age at which youth start,"

Unofficial results: This tax was approved with 60.95% of the vote in favor.^[3]

Opposition

Johan Dybdahl was the only member of the Assembly to vote against the proposed tax increase, stating that he is against the ordinance entirely.

According to Dybdahl:"I just don't believe that we're going to modify behavior by taxation."

Support

There has been a confusion as to what the tax would bring to the city, as far as spending is concerned. Many supporters have been concerned as to how the money collected would be spent or how much of it would be spent in certain places. Assembly member Merrill Sanford stated he was for the proposition if the increase in tax revenue would "offset present costs" that the city has in relation to substance abuse issues.

According to Sanford: "If we're going to offset usage of taxes, I can do that. Otherwise I'm not going vote for tax increases no matter what it is and no matter how good it is.^[4]

External links

• Juneau City Assembly Main Page

References

1. ↑ Anchorage Daily News, "Cigarette tax increase on Juneau ballot", August 24, 2009
2. ↑ Juneau Empire, "Committee: Voters should have say on tobacco tax", July 24, 2009
3. ↑ Preliminary Election Results- Unofficial
4. ↑ Juneau Empire, "City still hazy about cigarette, tobacco tax revenue", August 18, 2009

v • d • e Local ballot measures in Alaska Boroughs Aleutians East • Aleutians West • Anchorage • Bethel • Bristol Bay • Denali • Dillingham • Fairbanks North Star • Haines • Juneau • Kenai Peninsula • Ketchikan Gateway • Kodiak Island • Lake and Peninsula • Matanuska-Sustina • Nome • North Slope • Northwest Arctic • Prince of Wales-Outer Ketchikan • Sitka • Municipality of Skagway • Southeast Fairbanks •Unorganized Borough• Valdez-Cordova • Wade-Hampton Borough • Yakutat • Yukon-Koyukuk 2009 election dates October 6 • March 24 2008 election dates April 1 Political topics Zoning, land use and development • Sales tax • School bonds

	v • d • e State of Alaska Juneau (capital)
Ballot Measures	2008 Ballot measures | Ballot measures by year | Alaska local ballot measures | Initiative laws | History of Initiatives | Campaign finance requirments | Sunshine on elections |
Government	Alaska State Constitution | Governor | Lieutenant Governor | Attorney General | House of Representatives | Senate |
Judiciary	Alaska Supreme Court | Alaska Court of Appeals | Anchorage Trial Courts | Anchorage Superior Court | Anchorage District Court | Judicial selection in Alaska | Alaska judges in the news |
Transparency Topics	Public Records Act | Transparency Checklist | Government corruption reports | Transparency Legislation | Open Records procedures | Transparency Advocates | Transparency blogs | State budget | Taxpayer-funded lobbying associations |
Divisions	State | List of Boroughs | List of Cities | List of School Board Districts | Evaluation of borough websites | Evaluation of city websites | Evaluation of township websites | Evaluation of school district websites |