The Government Carries a Big Hammer

By Eddie Adams

Congressional Candidate for Florida’s 11th District

http://www.adamsforcongress.org/

Yesterday I heard about the closing of Hav-a-Tampa Cigar. The company has been around for over 100 years. Over 500 people will be out of work because what we call a sin tax. I think it is wrong for the government (state and/or federal) to tax an industry into extinction. It is not going to generate more money for the government, it will generate less. The price of cigars doubled over night, fewer people buy them, less tax money come in, Cigar companies close, more people are out of work, now they are looking for government hand-outs. So now the government goes to fine someone else to tax to make up the difference. 

I listened to republicans (the party of less tax) say why they voted for the Cigar Tax. They said to get some of the money back that the state spends to treat the smokers. Smokers are not the only sick people that the state pays for their treatment. The Government carries a big hammer and it picks and chooses who to hit with it. A large part of the central Florida economy is now in danger of extinction. Millions of dollars will be lost to this economy in a time when we need jobs the most. Tampa is called “the Cigar City” because of its long history and close ties to the industry.

If the Republican Party is the party of less taxes, than we need to stand against these taxes because it is the right thing to do. Not because sin taxes are easy to pass. I am not a smoker, but I am a republican and I strongly believe we can not tax our way out of this problem. We need to create more jobs not less. Republicans must fight the hard battles against all taxes because someday that hammer may be over your head. 

Last year I went to Eric Newman to talk about these taxes when they were being talked in congress. At that time they did not pass, it was an election year. As they say where I come from, “Our house is not on fire, that’s someone house burning.” But, I knew they would be back because they see this as easy money. At the time Mr. Newman was supporting Kathy Castor who was the new face of taxing for the children. Well he got what he paid for, more taxes and now his house is burning and that big government hammer is over his head.

Good Luck.