Proposition B

I will go out on a limb here and state that approximately 1/3 of Missourians are Active Military, or Retired Military, or Reserve Military.  What has this got to do with Prop B?  My point is if you start taxing the smoking population, a small segment in it's own right, those that are affiliated with the military have options that the rest of the state do not.  To put it another way they don't have to pay state sales tax on tobacco.

Even if you discount the military sector what happens to the tax when the rest of the population decides to quite?  I have noticed that all the ads for Prop B show what happens when the tax is passed but I also notice several lacking points.

1. Even if the law states it is for education alone then what is to stop the state from cutting education spending by a like amount of the tax?

2. Remember the song and dance about gambling?  If not then here is a refresher.  If you allow gambling in the state a portion of the fees collected will go for education in this state.  Instead the funds wound up in General funds and was spent on other projects?

3.  What happens if everyone quits?  Does the state continue to fund Education on the estimated amounts of tobacco sales?

4. What about the military going to federal installations?  What about the Native Americans who have their own tobacco sales?  You could see an increase in sales on Federal Lands and there are no state taxes there.

Serious thoughts considered.