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Wallingford pens editorial asking voters their thoughts on ‘Missouri Promise’ tax increase

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Sen. Wayne Wallingford, R-Cape Girardeau, asked constituents Wednesday for their thoughts on a possible cigarette tax increase to help fund the “Missouri Promise” program. The request came in an editorial published by the Southeast Missourian.

Wallingford
Wallingford

The program, a brainchild of Treasurer Clint Zweifel, Attorney General Chris Koster and the University of Missouri system, would raise the cigarette tax in the state of Missouri by 73 cents per pack (from 17 cents to 90 cents) for a dedicated tuition fund at public universities across the state.

The editorial comes a week before the university intends to kick its push for the plan into high gear. Missouri currently has the lowest cigarette tax in the nation, and a move up to 90 cents per pack would still keep Missouri well below the national average of $1.60 in tax per pack. However, some local governments in the state do have a small additional tax resulting from being grandfathered in to current state law, which prohibits additional taxes from a 1993 pre-emption. 

While Wallingford noted that he supported the intent of the legislation in his editorial, he had some concerns about it as well.

“Other states have passed similar tax increases (with similarly lofty new programs in mind) with the expectation that the tax would generate hundreds of millions of dollars in new revenue, only to face substantial shortfalls,” Wallingford wrote. “If the same holds true for this proposal, will our state’s taxpayers be asked to foot the bill for the difference?”

Wallingford also asked if the amount of money could be better spent on other alternatives, such as a funding plan for early childhood education or to pay for health care for families without Medicaid. The Missouri Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association also submitted an initiative petition earlier this week, wholly separate from the Missouri Promise program, calling for a smaller cigarette tax increase (up 23 cents per pack) that would be used to fund the state’s transportation needs.

“In principle, I oppose higher taxes, but I would like to hear your thoughts on the tobacco tax,” Wallingford concluded.