By Toma Lynn Smith
As University of Louisville students Nikki Romine and Danielle Zachery sit separately, one in Strickler Hall and the other in Davidson Hall respectively, they study and eat. The difference comes in the fact that one smokes and the other doesn’t.
On Friday, Feb. 13, the Kentucky legislature passed a tax bill that increased cigarette tax from 30 to 60 cents.
“To increase tax for only one set or majority of people, that supposedly that smoke is unfair,” said Zachery, a fine arts junior. The “about a pack day” smoker said most of her friends smoke as well. “It definitely affects everybody’s wallet.”
“I’m really debating on quitting,” she added. “I really am.”
The bill also includes a 6 percent sales tax on packaged alcohol products.
“I’m not 21, but I know a lot of people that drink, nine times out of 10, if you drink, you smoke,” said Zachery.
“I think it’s good. Maybe people will quit [smoking],” Romine, a sophomore nursing major said. “Me being a nursing student, I think it’s good for health.”
In response to the alcohol tax, she said, “I think so they can just get more money, more revenue off of it.”
“The action of the General Assembly will produce enough new revenue to hold the cut to higher education to 2 percent instead of the anticipated 6.7 percent that would have been needed from universities, K-12 education and all state agencies to balance the budget in this fiscal year,” stated U of L President Jim Ramsey and Provost Shirley Willihnganz via email to faculty, students, and staff after the announcement of the tax increases. “It is not time to let down our guard or preparation for future cuts. The effects of the national economic recession are real and the financial outlook for the next fiscal year is grim.”
Last Tuesday, Ramsey urged faculty, students, and staff to contact their legislator to support this bill.
The Courier-Journal reported that: “The [senate] vote was 24-12 with 23 votes required for passage in the 38-member body.”
“Not everybody smokes, so why don’t those people have to pay taxes on something else?” asked Zachery.
“The Consensus Revenue Forecasting Group in Frankfort is predicting more than an $800 million shortfall for FY 10,” stated Ramsey and Willihnganz.
“We have a very defined budget process that we utilize on campus to make these decisions. We have convened a budget group and they are looking at a number of initiatives that could generate or save funds. You can also send ideas to the provost’s service account at [email protected].”
The Board of Trustees will have a budget workshop in April. The Finance Committee will handle any recommendations in May. The budget will be adopted for the following year in June.
“This process is very important,” stated Ramsey and Willihnganz, “so that we as a campus community can work together to address this very difficult financial situation,”
