Unlike her predecessor, Nick Jordan, Mary Pilcher-Cook resp0nded to the inquiry about cigarette sales taxes.
Below, please find her response:
Dear Ray,
Thank you for your efforts at educating the public. I have a consistent voting record of voting against all cigarette tax increases. It is unfair when government discriminates against certain people and forces them to pay more taxes than others.
A tobacco tax is unpredictable in its results on the state budget. Last year Maryland doubled its cigarette tax to pay for health-care coverage and cigarette sales decreased by 25%, putting the state in fiscal distress and creating a budgetary disaster.
Not only are cigarette taxes an unpredictable source of revenue, they are a regressive tax, targeting only certain individuals. It might appeal to some politicians who want to use a "tax thee but not me" approach, hoping they won't anger their voters, but it's an unfair tax.
It is through lower taxes overall that we receive the highest economic growth, which in turn produces the revenue to the state to provide public services.
Best regards,
Sen. Mary Pilcher Cook
