>
NJ lawmaker pushes tobacco tax hike
New Jersey lawmakers are considering raising the tax on all tobacco products, a move that would add millions to the dollars already flowing into the state’s economy from the steep tax on cigarettes.
New Jersey taxes cigarettes at $2.70 a pack, among the highest in the nation. The revenue – close to $770 million — goes to paying off a state bond issue, reimbursing hospitals for charity care to the poor and uninsured, and funding the general costs of state government. (Fitzgerald, NJ Spotlight)
