Massachusetts Tobacco Taxes Initiative (2016)
| Massachusetts Tobacco Taxes Initiative | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Initiated state statute |
| Origin | Citizens |
| Topic | Tobacco |
| Status | Not on the ballot |
| Not on Ballot |
|---|
 |
| This measure was not put on an election ballot |
The Tobacco Taxes Initiative was a state statute initiated by citizens that did not make the Massachusetts ballot on November 8, 2016. There were two versions of the measure.
Version A would have eliminated the sales tax on cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, cigars and smoking tobacco, and instead impose a separate excise tax on those projects. Version B would have exempted tobacco products from a sales tax where they are subject to cigarette excise tax. Each version's changes would have taken effect January 1, 2017.[1][2]
Text of measure
Petition name
The petition name for the measures was as follows:[1]
| “ | An Act to Eliminate Double Taxation on the Sale of Tobacco Products[3] | ” |
Version A
Measure summary
The summary was as follows:[4]
| “ | This proposed law would remove the state sales tax on cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, and smoking tobacco, and provide that such products would remain subject to a separate state excise tax. The proposed law would take effect on January 1, 2017.[3] | ” |
Full text
The full text of the measure can be found here.
Version B
Measure summary
The summary was as follows:[5]
| “ | This proposed law would exempt tobacco products, including cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, and smoking tobacco, from state sales tax where they are subject to the state cigarette excise tax. The proposed law would take effect on January 1, 2017.[3] | ” |
Full text
The full text of the measure can be found here.
Support
Geoffrey Yalenezian, CEO of Brennan’s Smoke Shops and the person who filed the petition, said,[6]
| “ | [I] realized that tobacco users in Massachusetts have been paying taxes upon taxes for years. And nobody has ever represented the consumers in the Massachusetts State House, so I took it upon myself to lobby up on Beacon Hill [against the excessive taxing]. ... In my opinion, taxing a tax is stealing, taxing a tax on a tax is highway robbery. The tax code in Massachusetts is set in a way where we cannot compete with our surrounding and neighboring states.[3] | ” |
Path to the ballot
Geoffrey Yalenezian submitted both versions. Supporters had until December 2, 2015, to submit at least 64,750 valid signatures for each version. If the initiative had the required amount of signatures, the proposal would have been put before the Legislature. The initiative, however, did not meet the signature requirement.[7]
State profile
| Demographic data for Massachusetts | ||
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 6,784,240 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 7,800 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 79.6% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 7.1% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 6% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 0.2% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 2.9% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 10.6% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 89.8% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 40.5% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $68,563 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 13.1% | 11.3% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Massachusetts. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
Presidential voting pattern
Massachusetts voted for the Democratic candidate in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.
More Massachusetts coverage on Ballotpedia
- Elections in Massachusetts
- United States congressional delegations from Massachusetts
- Public policy in Massachusetts
- Endorsers in Massachusetts
- Massachusetts fact checks
- More...
See also
- Massachusetts 2016 ballot measures
- 2016 ballot measures
- Massachusetts Legislature
- List of Massachusetts ballot measures
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Mass.gov, "15-29," accessed December 4, 2015
- ↑ Mass.gov, "15-30," accessed December 4, 2015
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Mass.gov, "15-29 summary," accessed December 4, 2015
- ↑ Mass.gov, "15-30 summary," accessed December 4, 2015
- ↑ The Daily Free Press, "Ballot measures ready for action from Legislature," December 3, 2015
- ↑ Official Website of the Attorney General of Massachusetts, "Current petitions filed," accessed January 13, 2016
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