It's A Duck
Still wondering whether Governor Pawlenty's proposal to tack a seventy-five cent a pack "fee" on cigarette's is a tax or not? Look no further than this editorial in today's Star Tribune:
Let not the best display of gubernatorial leadership Minnesota has yet seen from Gov. Tim Pawlenty be sullied by a fuss over semantics. If he's willing to collect an additional 75 cents on each pack of cigarettes sold in this state, and spend that money on health care and schools, he can call it "squatski" for all we care.
The Strib is positively giddy about the plan, which they see as just the first step:
By whatever name, the proposal is a positive step. Yes, it's two years overdue; it's burdened with too many unwise conditions, and it's undersized, compared with the state's needs. Nevertheless, Pawlenty has made a commendable move toward a better 2006-07 state budget than the one he proposed four months ago, and toward reasonable results from the 2005 Legislature. He finally displayed some of the flexibility Minnesotans expect from a talented man elected not to lead his party or posture for national office, but to govern this state. We're eager for more.
It's not big enough. It should have been done it earlier. And the Star Tribune editorial board is "eager" for more.
You better believe that this is a tax baby.
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