No Joke: President's First Tax Hike Takes Effect Today

Statement

Congressman Tom Price issued the following statement as the first of President Obama's many tax hikes to come went into effect. As of April 1, the federal government will collect an additional 62 cents per pack on cigarettes and 40 cents per individual cigar. The tobacco tax was signed into law by President Obama on February 4, 2009 as part of a bill to pave the way for government-run health care, breaking his campaign promise just two weeks into his administration. Candidate Obama pledged that he would not raise taxes on Americans making less than $250,000 per year, but a large percentage of smokers fall below that income level.

"Today's tax hike serves as a useful reminder that the President is comfortable raising taxes on hard-working Americans to feed his reckless agenda," said Congressman Price. "President Obama has done nothing to demonstrate that he is a responsible steward of taxpayer money. Yet, he is forcing the American people to burn through even more of their income in the name of more government. There is still time for President Obama to change the tone of his Administration, but it requires a commitment to letting Americans keep their own hard-earned money and restoring the essential freedom that comes from a smaller, less intrusive federal government."

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