• Cigarette tax swap bill 'dead' 

The cigarette/grocery tax swap isn't just dead, or dead, dead, Senate Public Health Chairman Alan Nunellee said Friday; it's "dead, dead, dead."

The Senate, after last week defeating an effort to revive the increase in cigarette taxes coupled with a cut in grocery taxes, on Friday defeated a motion to reconsider last week's vote.

Nunellee was referring to an old saying among legislative watchers that "seldom is any bill dead, dead, dead," as long as lawmakers are still in session. But Nunellee, a proponent of the bill along with Lt. Gov. Amy Tuck, admitted defeat Friday, at least for this year.

"I'm not proud of our low tax on cigarettes," Nunellee said. "I'm not proud of our high grocery tax. I think even some of the opposition is not proud of this. An overwhelming majority of 2.9 million Mississippians are not proud of that fact. That's what makes this issue so painful. But I also understand that sometimes major political change takes time."

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Mississippi Senate defeats resolution for cigarette tax bill 

The Mississippi Senate has defeated a resolution that would've allowed a new cigarette and grocery tax bill to be filed.

The vote on Tuesday was 31-to-20 for the resolution, but 34 votes were needed for it to pass.

A tax bill died last week when the Senate Finance Committee chairman would not allow debate before a deadline. The resolution, if passed by both houses, would have allowed a new bill to be filed after the deadline.

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Tax Swap Could Land on Election Ballot 

Some Democratic legislators want voters in Mississippi to have the chance to vote on the cigarette and grocery tax later this year.

Four democratic house members have filed a resolution that would put a tax swap plan on the general election ballot on November sixth of this year.

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Miss. Senate defeats resolution to file new bill to cut grocery tax, boost cigarette tax 

The Mississippi Senate on Tuesday defeated an attempt to cut the state's 7 percent grocery tax in half and boost the cigarette tax.

Gov. Haley Barbour opposes the plan. He says the time is not right to reduce the grocery tax because Mississippi still faces too much economic uncertainty in its recovery from Hurricane Katrina. On the cigarette portion, he says he opposes raising anybody's taxes.

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Roll call on reviving cigarette/grocery tax 

A vote Tuesday in the Mississippi Senate, on a 31-20 vote, defeated Senate Concurrent Resolution 621, which would've allowed the filing of a new bill to increase the tax on cigarettes and decrease the tax on groceries. Thirty-four votes were needed for the two-thirds majority to pass the resolution.

A yes vote was a vote for the proposal, while a no vote was a vote against it. Voting yes were eight Republicans and 23 Democrats. Voting no were 18 Republicans and two Democrats.

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• In 2008, cigarette tax and grocery tax will be separated  

With the final death Tuesday in the state Senate of the 2007 version of a combined tax swap bill, political reality looms both for those who supported the tax swap and for those who opposed it. The bill would have cut the state's 7 percent grocery tax in half while raising the state's 18-cent per pack cigarette excise tax to $1 a pack.

Gov. Haley Barbour and his troops in the Senate won the day and did so within the margins of the Senate rules. Any last-minute heroics by pro-tax swap forces to take the issue away from a committee chairman was doomed from the start.

The 31-20 Senate procedural vote that could have revived the twice-dead tax swap legislation is evidence that the overall issues are far from dead. Some 60 percent of the Senate supported at least voting on the tax swap measure. The measure failed by only 3 votes to attain the two-thirds majority needed for passage.

But a majority of both houses of the Legislature favors these measures or at the very least feared going home to campaign for re-election daubed with the brush of being against them.

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EDITORIAL: Tax swap 

The official demise in the Legislature last week of the cigarette/food tax swap won't - and shouldn't - be the last word on the subject.

One senator, Finance Committee chairman Tommy Robertson, R-Moss Point, blocked the House-passed bill from being considered by the committee and the full Senate. Robertson's obstructionism came in the face of strong sentiment in the Senate and widespread public support for the measure. . . .

Voters have the opportunity to make their voices heard during the upcoming legislative and statewide campaign season by asking candidates where they stand on the issue. Those incumbents who have previously indicated support for raising the cigarette tax and lowering the grocery tax should be asked to reaffirm that support. Challengers should be on the record as well.

This is an issue that affects, literally, every Mississippian in multiple ways. Lower-income people are hit hardest by our high grocery tax, but we all buy food. About a quarter of Mississippians smoke, but we all pay for the public health care costs brought on by tobacco use.

The current situation is inequitable and unjust, and changing it should remain high on the public agenda. Campaign time is the right time to keep it in the forefront.

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EDITORIAL: State lawmakers have proven to be consistently inconsistent 

On Thursday, the Mississippi Senate gave its final approval to a bill that would reduce sales taxes on tickets to some athletic and livestock events. Senate Finance Committee chairman Tommy Robertson, R-Moss Point, urged his colleagues to approve the measure cutting taxes on tickets to state-sanctioned athletic and livestock events from 7 percent to 3 percent.

Meanwhile, Robertson and Gov. Haley Barbour continue to blow smoke at all legitimate - and needed - efforts to reduce the state's grocery tax and blocking all attempts to increase the state cigarette tax to $1 a pack.

Credit Robertson and Barbour for their consistent inconsistency. Both are avid supporters of tax cuts. That's the consistent part. But both have turned their backs on Mississippians who want and deserve lower grocery taxes while catering to those interests opposed to higher cigarette taxes that would bring the state in line with other states.

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EDITORIAL: Tax swap: Senators must make a choice  

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Senators will have a clear choice between a tax cut on tobacco or food. This is the vote that they will have to defend on the political stump during this election year.

Do you support raising cigarette taxes and lowering grocery taxes? If so, this is your last chance. Call your senator.

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• Vote may give 2nd chance to tax swap  

Swapping a grocery tax cut for a higher cigarette tax may be up for discussion on the Senate floor today despite failing to survive a legislative deadline last week.

"I'll vote to bring it up," said Sen. Ralph Doxey, an opponent of the issue. "But then I'll lead the fight against it," said Doxey, R-Holly Springs.

The Senate Rules Committee on Monday resurrected the issue, considered dead last week after a legislative deadline passed.

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Senate to try to revive efforts on grocery/cigarette tax swap 

The Mississippi Senate on Tuesday will consider reviving one of the biggest issues of the 2007 legislative session - a plan to slash taxes on groceries and increase taxes on cigarettes.

Some lawmakers say the matter could come down a few votes.

A so-called "tax swap" bill died last week after a legislative deadline passed and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Tommy Robertson refused to let the measure out of his committee.

But Sen. Travis Little, R-Corinth, announced on the Senate floor Monday that he will ask for a suspension of legislative rules Tuesday to file an identical proposal.

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• Grocery, cigarette tax-swap bill may return 

Legislation to decrease the tax on groceries and increase the cigarette tax died last week, but it may be back.

Speculation persists that during the final two weeks of the session, there will be efforts to revive the legislation first proposed by Republican Lt. Gov. Amy Tuck to reduce the nation's highest state-imposed tax on groceries and to increase the third lowest tax on cigarettes.

"I am for doing everything I can to get the bill on the floor of the Senate," said Sen. Alan Nunnelee, R-Tupelo. "A measure that is sponsored by 26 senators and has been approved by 91 members of the House deserves to be debated by the Senate."

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Senator criticizes proposed tax cut on tickets 

Robertson is the same senator who, at the request of Gov. Haley Barbour, killed a proposal to increase cigarette taxes and lower the rates on groceries.

"Is it not risky in these uncertain times to give a sales tax cut?" Nunnelee asked. "So we'll give a tax cut to boxers and horses and cows and hogs?"

The statement was an obvious slap at Robertson and Barbour.

The Republican governor has said repeatedly the state's recovery from Hurricane Katrina is still too uncertain to allow a change in the state's tax structure. Barbour, a former Washington lobbyist for tobacco companies, also has said he's against raising anybody's taxes, even on cigarettes.

Barbour spokesman Pete Smith said the governor would decide whether to sign or veto the livestock and athletic event bill once he receives it.

Barbour and Robertson have been criticized by some lawmakers and special interest groups for their stance on the so-called grocery/cigarette "tax swap," which would have increased the cigarette tax to $1 a pack and cut the 7 percent grocery tax in half.

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Aberdeen smoking ban goes into effect April 15 

The city of Aberdeen's smoking ban in public buildings will take effect April 15.

The ordinance bans smoking in "all public places" in Aberdeen, including "bars, bingos, childcare facilities, all city buildings, hotels, indoor shopping malls, restaurants and polling places," said Aberdeen City Clerk Jackie Benson.

Benson said smoking is prohibited within 25 feet of building entrances.

The ban was approved by aldermen Feb. 20, with Mayor Cecil Belle casting a tie-breaking vote.

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Ticket tax cut draws ire from grocery/cigarette tax swap supporter 

The Mississippi Senate gave final approval Thursday to a bill that would reduce sales taxes on tickets to some athletic and livestock events, and the move elicited a verbal shot from a supporter of the failed grocery tax cut.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Tommy Robertson, R-Moss Point, urged his colleagues to approve the measure to cut taxes on tickets to state-sanctioned athletic and livestock events from 7 percent to 3 percent.

Robertson is the same senator who, at the request of Gov. Haley Barbour, killed a proposal to increase cigarette taxes and lower the rates on groceries.

"Is it not risky in these uncertain times to give a sales tax cut?" asked Senate Public Health Committee Chairman Alan Nunnelee, R-Tupelo. "So we'll give a tax cut to boxers and horses and cows and hogs?"