Cigarette Tax Hike: Up In Smoke?

S.C. House Speaker Bobby Harrell and fellow RINOcrat Hugh Leatherman thought that this was the year they would finally be able to push a 50-cent cigarette tax increase through the General Assembly – and navigate it around a veto from S.C. Governor Mark Sanford.

Don’t bet on it.

After months of convincing skittish “fence” Republicans to join their RINOcrat coalition – a process driven by big money campaign contributions, an army of attractive lobbyists and plenty of one-sided mainstream media “coverage” – the wheels officially fell off of the cigarette tax hike yesterday.

No really. This legislation is in serious trouble, people.

In fact, a compromise/ coalition that took nearly a year to cobble together has fallen apart over unsatisfactory answers to the simplest of questions.

Like, “where is the money going?” Or “what do you mean we’re not reforming Medicaid?” Or “I thought you said nobody was going to criticize this tax hike?”

What specifically caused such a sudden undoing?

Was it our story yesterday exposing the tax hike’s ultimate destination? Or the glaring lack of accountability those funds will be subjected to in arriving there?  Or the total absence of any discernible impact the hike will have on our state’s rampant, unsustainable Medicaid growth?

Who knows.

All we know is what was once a slam dunk is now definitely on the ropes – a victim of its own secretive dealing and avarice.

Oh – and the fact that somebody is finally reporting what’s actually going on instead of regurgitating the Harrell-Leatherman talking points.

Lawmakers now have more questions than lobbyists have answers.

And in addition to the now-pervasive uncertainty surrounding the tax revenue’s trajectory and impact, an amendment sponsored by Sen. John Land to raise the state’s tax on smokeless tobacco helped perpetuate the ungluing.

Where would that money go?

Higher ed, of all places.

Of course, Land’s amendment spawned a full-on feeding frenzy as hospitals affiliated with our state’s universities began ambling up to the teet.

Greenville. Columbia. Charleston. Florence … everybody had to get their cut, because that’s how it works at the State House.

Now don’t get us wrong, the cigarette tax hike isn’t dead – but it took one squarely on the chin yesterday.

And we haven’t even uncorked our best stuff yet …

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