Prop 29

A few years ago the oil companies spent millions to fight the oil extraction tax, Prop 87, and they succeeded.

Once again we have a similar situation, different product of course, taking place and once again it looks like the winner will be.....

TOBACCO COMPANIES

So far they have spend close to $30 million to defeat  Prop 29...which is an additional $1.00 tax per pack.

WITH THE AMOUNT OF MONEY BEING SPENT ON PROBLEMS CREATED BY TOBACCO
 EACH PACK OF CIGARETTES SHOULD BE......

$25.00and all the extra tax should go to education.

IF YOU WANT TO KILL YOURSELF THEN IT SHOULD  COST YOU A PRETTY PENNY.

IF  SECOND HAND SMOKE IS GOING TO HARM OTHER PEOPLE THAN THE COST SHOULD BE ENORMOUS.

I suppose we can't make tobacco illegal just like we can't make alcohol illegal but when one considers the amount of health cost related to those two issues, not to mention flat out deaths, than one really has to wonder about the morality and the basic principles of our regulators and lawmakers.

Alcohol and tobacco companies maintain huge lobby positions within the government.

Everybody knows that to be true.

The fact that they can spend millions of dollars to defeat any bill that increases taxes on their product and make you think they are acting on your behalf.......is absolutely scary.

 I listen to people that are going to vote no on Prop 29, and I realize that all the information informing people that smoking can kill you.....has not reached the part of their brain that makes sensible decisions.

I think if you want to drink a galleon of Jack Daniels then it should cost you $150 or more.

It should be the same as buying an ounce of high potency marijuana.

Now I understand that many, maybe most, people can regulate their intake of dangerous drugs, of which alcohol and tobacco are the worst because they are legal and therefore the most easily obtained, but it's quite apparent that a very large number of people can't control their addictions to these two products.

So increasing taxes on those items, called a sin tax, should be an act of simple common sense.

Pot should be legal and it should be taxed just like tobacco and alcohol.

If government is looking for increased revenue streams then it would seem very logical that they limit the power and control of alcohol and tobacco lobbyist, and allow marijuana lobbyist to joined the show.

I hope everyone can see that alcohol and tobacco companies do not want marijuana to be legal.

THAT'S QUITE CLEAR.....ISN'T IT?

BUT WITH THE COST OF OPERATING A GOVERNMENT, BOTH STATE AND FEDERAL BEING EXTREMELY HIGH......SHOULDN'T INCREASED REVENUE GENERATING BE A PRIMARY GOAL.

INCREASED REVENUE GENERATING IS ALSO KNOWN AS......TAXES.

I would like someone to explain how a government raises revenue....without taxing?

The main problem we have, we being the average taxpayer, is that we don't seem to understand where the money goes when we do vote for increased taxes or alternative revenue generators such as......a lottery or bonds.

AND THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM BECAUSE I HEAR IT FROM ALL SIDES....BOTH THE 1% AND THE 99%.

NOBODY SEEMS TO TRUST THE MONETARY ALLOCATIONS OF  ELECTED OFFICIALS.

If you do trust that the spending, by state and federal officials, is being done correctly than you need to step up and start talking because you belong to a very small minority.

Because of instant information sources now available to us.....the level of distrust might be at an all time high.

IF PROPOSITION 29 FAILS IT WILL BE ONE MORE INSTANCE OF THE VOTING PUBLIC BEING MANIPULATED BY A VERY LARGE INDUSTRY THAT MAKES A PRODUCT WHICH IS EXTREMELY UNHEALTHY.

DO NOT LET THAT HAPPEN
AND IN FACT
MAKE A PHONE CALL TO YOUR ASSEMBLY PERSON, CONGRESS PERSON AND SENATOR TELLING THEM THAT YOU WANT
MORE TAXES ON CIGARETTES
AND LESS TAXES ON INCOME THAT YOU GENERATE BY WORKING.

LET'S START TAXING THE SHIT OUT OF PRODUCTS THAT HARM US AND STOP TAXING FOR HARD WORK AND LABOR.

LEGALIZE MARIJUANA AND COLLECT TAXES ON IT AND STOP TAXING THE SMALL BUSINESS OWNER WHO IS FIGHTING TO MAKE ENDS MEET.

But in the meantime....please vote
Yes on Prop 29.

Don't let those Vote No on Prop 29 commercials influence what you know in your heart to be a correct decision.

Please!

Michael Timothy McAlevey