Blair Struggles With Tobacco Sin Tax
By The Blair Legislative Enquirer, Contributor
6/19/2006
It is truly spectacular what influences the power of debate. A truly spectacular force exists that has the ability to bend the minds of even the most stubborn of men. That force is heat, and on June the 18th, 2006, that heat was flowing through a small room in the quaint county of Blair. That heat was taking its toll on more than 2- dozen as they where attempting to reach an agreement on the controversial tobacco sin tax. It seems the only one in the room with any control was the force of heat. Enough of an upper hand that the sweltering heat caused the more than 2 dozen men to come to an agreement. This agreement has reshaped the tobacco sin tax to a point of perfection.
The original plan was to completely disassemble the tobacco tax, but without warning a disagreement occurred. Originally an economically minded senate hopeful, Sohrab Foroozesh, believed the tax would increase demand and lower price.
A veritable win for the citizens of Blair County, and the fine tobacco farms laced within Blair.
The agreement showed that a small tax would still insure an extra warning for the health risks of tobacco, while adding extra revenue to the struggling county of Blair. Senate hopeful Mr.Foroozesh, dived right into the argument and attempted to recover as the victor. Either Mr.Foroozesh saw the error of his ways and rethought his views, or the heat got to him. Whatever happened it has benefited Blair County in the best way.