Cigarette tax may increase

Dear Mr. Easley I must refuse to pay the additional tax that you have imposed on me, it is regrettable that I must contribute to the lacking education system that we have in our state by taking this stance, but you have left me no option but to abandon your Communist thinking for the more traditional American way of freedom. Now you may be asking yourself how I intend to cripple your genius on this matter here it is... for all the damage this will do to the school system I must regrettably inform you that I QUITE SMOKING... Hope that the rest of the smokers do not follow me down this path or we may have to tax some other vice such as golfers who wear those particular style of offensive attire.. Feel free to tax what ever you like, and I will feel free to quite. Yours Truly Southern Born

"If you love wealth more than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, depart from us in peace. We ask not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains rest lightly upon you and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen." [Samuel Adams]

I am not a smoker but it seems to me in an economy that is going crazy due to high gas prices- our government needs to do something to put money in our pockets- not continue to say- lets tax cigs- alcohol -GAS-- Food-- I say its time to stop taxation and fire some of the people sittin on there butts not doing anything in government- at the rate we are going- why do to work- just hand over your check to the government for taxation... Tired of being broke due to taxation....what about you- you have to figure that over 1/3rd of your pay is goin to some sort of tax- might as well smoke- it might kill you but if taxes keep going up on everything- robberies- thefts and the crime rate is gonna go sky high- SURVIVAL---

I smoked for 15 years. I quit cold turkey and haven't touched one since. I don't buy the hype that it's harder to quit than crack or heroin. It really IS NOT. YOU have to decide that you don't WANT to smoke anymore. It's not good for you, but it is a personal choice and smokers and the tobacco farmers are hit pretty hard.

I think its time to raise salaries for others who work for the state. If I am not mistaken teachers just got a raise no to long ago...and I know for a fact others who work for the state got nothing. I am not saying that teachers dont deserve the money they get...they are teaching the future of our country. However, my mother works for the Department of Juvenile Justice and has not seen a decent raise if one at all in years. And the reason is because the state keeps pushing the money towards the teachers. In my eyes her job is just as important and I think she, along with her collegues, should be recognized for the hard work they put in...YEAR ROUND with children.

Ok, first of all I know that there will be a plethora of teachers who retort to my statements. I work between 50 and 60 hours a week. I work holidays. I sweat all summer long, and come home each evening totally drained with heat exhaustion. I make less than teachers, and the majority of my wage goes to pay for health insurance. I love my job and don't complain about the pay. I knew how much I would be making when I decided to take the job, just like teachers. Teachers work shorter hours, get lots of meaningless holidays off, get great benefits, get good pay for what they do, and for God sakes get time off in the blazing hot summer. Teachers seem to complain about pay more than any other profession. Be greatful for your job. You knew what the salary and benefits were when you took the job. And enjoy your raise, because effective Jan. 1, 2007, my health benefits were revoked due to budget cuts within my company. Now I make much less than I used to because I have to pay a ridiculous premium for health insurance, and just in case you are wondering, no I DON'T SMOKE.

It's crazy how much cigarettes are. This is tobacco country and the farmers are the one's suffering. I don't smoke but I have family members that do. In my opinion, it's each persons decision to smoke or not to. Everyone focuses on cigarettes but you never hear about alcohol. I've never heard of anyone getting on the highway and killing someone from smoking a cigarette. I sure have about alcohol though. People need to wake-up and realize what is going on in the world. This is really going to affect our farmers. Why not use the money that is wasted on our county commissioners to pay teachers more? All the money wasted in this state could be used to give teachers a raise. I'm all for teachers getting a raise but not by increasing tax on cigarettes.

First I thought the Lottery was supposed to take care of the schools & teachers. I don't participate in the lottery, if I wanted to donate to the school I would give them my money directly. Gambling bores me. You can cure the cigarette tax-DON'T SMOKE! I quit cold turkey 26 years ago, best decision I ever made plus I divorced my ex. For the ones who say it's becoming increasingly difficult to pay more for cigs then QUIT. I've seen parents buy cigs then wonder why they can't afford gas or food for their kids. If everyone decided to not smoke just think what that would do to the cig tax.

This is just another in the Democrat play book on how to dupe the people of NC. Any vice tax should go to the health care coverage for those derived illnesses. Classic way to generate income for the state that nobody can argue against, smoking is bad, why not tax it? The question should be, "Just where is the Lottery money going? Why are they not spending that money the right way?" I don't smoke, so I won't pay that tax. My kids won't either, they are home schooled. What incentive does the teachers in our schools have to teach students to be outstanding and better members of the next generation when the money that fuels their pay is derived from those that are taught at the lowest standards? This is a joke! Well taught and bright students do not smoke because they have been educated about the risks that are involved. The average teacher would be shooting themselves in the foot if they DIDN'T put out substandard students. Kind of like the Democrats and the Teacher's Union. Smart, successful students are less likely to be a blue collar Democrat and there for there is the biggest reason that our schools are in the shape that they are in.

Let's raise the teachers salaries so we can continue to teach our children at home. Go ahead Govenor praise them for failing our children. The public school system is failing our children and you want to reward them??? Get rid of no child left behind!!! It certainly failed my child. I hope more parents take the steps to ensure your children are up to speed. I discovered my child had a 4th grade math level and she is in the 7th grade. Needless to say she, has been removed from from the system that has failed her. We took the time to work with her, made sure her homework was done and so on. It took the EOG to determine that she was given the test to study from and she was able to memorize the answers verbatum. They have a way to make sure "NO CHILD IS LEFT BEHIND", mine should have been but was advanced, no question...To all parents with children in the public school system, proceed with caution as these overpaid teachers are failing our children. In closing I will say,,,not all teachers are failing our children. Increases should not be given free will, they should have to be earned on an individual basis, based on their performance not by their individual school "MAKING THE GRADE"

Why not tax Alcohol more instead, Ive never heard of a smoking driver killing someone. If the price of alcohol at a bar increased,the tax would bring in more money because there are more people who drink than smoke. And maybe it would keep the ignorant drunks who we all see downtown home because it would be harder to afford to go out.

Why do the Democrats keep raising taxes every year? I was of the understanding that the State had a one billion dollar surplus this year and even more in previous years. Maybe Thomas Wright isn't the only one taking money that doesn't belong to him.

MAKE IT A DOLLAR a pack...keep me from having to walk thru a plume of smoke going into a public place...I CANNOT WAIT for this state to ban it in all public entrances and businesses!

Why is he doing this tax increase just before he leaves office.. I think it is unfair to let smokers always pay for everything when they need money.. It is up to the whole state to pay for improvements . It is just too unfair.