FRESNO, CA (KMJ) – Assemblyman Joaquin Arambula – along with members of the Fresno Madera Medical Society, American Cancer Society and others – threw their support behind Proposition 56 on Thursday. The measure raises the cigarette tax by two dollars a pack. Other tobacco products, like e-cigarettes, would also see tax increases. Arambula said the measure is meant to get people to qit smoking and keep kids from picking up tobacco products in the first place.
“Prop 56 will double the money that California has to invest in school-based tobacco-prevention programs,” said Arambula at a press conference.
Those against Proposition 56 say the money generated by the tax would go toward health insurance companies and special interests. Opposition points out just 13% of the money would go towards helping smokers quit or preventing kids from beginning smoking.
The Fresno Chamber of Commerce opposes the measure.
“This is a tax on goods sold by small businesses here in the community,” said Chamber Government Affairs Manager Nathan Alonzo in a phone interview. “[The tax] would hurt small business in the community. By raising the price of tobacco products it affects the sales of local businesses here in our town.”
See more on Proposition 56 here.
