Evans cigar shop owner blazing over possible cigarette tax increase

EVANS, Ga. - Smokers could cough up more to help ease Georgia and South Carolina's struggling budgets.

Tuesday, opponents of Georgia's possible cigarette tax hike were at the state Capitol.

Although Georgia and South Carolina are among the cheapest when it comes to cigarettes, smokers and business owners say a tax increase is not what's needed to help with the budget shortfall.

Advocates of a new cigarette tax say an extra buck tacked on could raise as much as $354 million for the state of Georgia and decrease the number of smokers.

Russell Wilder with Top Shelf Cigar and Tobacco in Evans disagrees.

"They've realized over the years that they can keep raising the taxes and people will keep smoking," said Wilder.

Wilder says an extra dollar added to the price will do nothing but send customers over the river to shop.

"The potential there is I won't need to carry this anymore because people are taking the 15 minute drive over to North Augusta and buy their cigarettes there," said Wilder.

That's something Wilder says he can't afford.

"It's a small segment of what I sell but it's enough to pay my utilities. Now where am I going to make up that difference in sales," asked Wilder.

We asked nonsmokers their opinion on the tax increase.

"That's fine with me because I don't smoke. It doesn't really matter," said one nonsmoker.

Although it matters to Wilder, he says if the tax goes into effect...

"We're 25 percent of the voting population so we can't vote anybody out. All we can do is be mad," said Wilder.

In South Carolina, School Superintendent Jim Rex wants the state's current 7 cent per pack tax raised to the national average.

He says the move would avoid teacher furloughs.

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