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Josephs suggests tax on other tobacco products as new revenue source

HARRISBURG, Nov. 19 – Concerned about the state of the Commonwealth's economy, state Rep. Babette Josephs, D-Phila., is renewing her efforts to impose a state tax on other tobacco products.

On Tuesday, Josephs sent a letter to members of the General Assembly encouraging support for her idea.

"Many of us in Pennsylvania are laying awake at night worrying about health care and mortgages, and how we'll send our kids to college," Josephs wrote. "Again, we hear total General Fund revenue collections are less than expected. I believe we must have the courage not to just reduce spending, but to find new ways to increase our revenue.

"Again, I must ask why we are the only state in the nation that does not tax other tobacco products including cigar, pipe, spit and chewing tobacco?

"Fifty-nine million cans of moist smokeless snuff were sold in Pennsylvania last year. Second only to Texas, we sell the most snuff in the United States. I can't believe that we continue to miss out on this revenue stream," she said.

Josephs has pushed for the taxation of all tobacco products for a number of years. She has said that in addition to the added revenue, making these products more expensive would make children less likely to purchase them.

Josephs said she will introduce her legislation when the new legislative session begins in January.

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