AP | Cigarette tax plans doing slow burn in state Senate

State senators say they are willing to wait for a compromise to raise the state’s lowest-in-the-nation cigarette tax.

State Senator Thomas Alexander says a Senate panel is considering adding 45 cents per pack to the current seven cents tax. Alexander says the extra money would go to health care.

One idea gaining momentum is using the extra revenue for tax credits to buy health policies. Supporters say it would help businesses and individuals afford the costly coverage.

But Senate Minority Leader John Land said lawmakers should first make sure all the state’s children have health care insurance.

Some children currently without it could be covered by an expansion of the existing federal-state children’s health insurance program run through Medicaid.

Clip from the AP | March 2, 2008 

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