WCCF Commends the Governor on this Move to Help Discourage Kids’ Use of Harmful Tobacco Products

As we noted in a May 27th blog post, the Joint Finance Committee voted for a budget amendment to change the tax on moist snuff tobacco products to a weight-based tax. WCCF joined numerous other groups in opposing such a change, for the reasons outlined in a May 26th letter to Joint Finance. For those reasons, we applaud the Governor for vetoing this proposal in the final budget (Act 32).The current percentage-of-price tax applies the same rate to all non-cigarette tobacco products, ensuring that lighter products are not less expensive, and thereby more attractive to kids. In Governor Walker’s veto message (p. 21), he notes that he vetoed the taxation because a weight-based tax “may encourage the use of these products by children. Wisconsin’s current ad valorem tax on moist snuff tobacco products maintains a level playing field and minimizes the attractiveness to youth, helping to improve public health.” Though we have concerns about many other aspects of the budget, we appreciate Governor Walker’s support for the interests of kids shown by his action on this budget item.

Sara Eskrich