Cigarette tax to be on fall ballot

Missouri voters will get a chance to decide on a proposal seeking to quadruple Missouri's cigarette tax and another seeking collective bargaining powers for fire and ambulance personnel.

A judge ruled Monday that both initiatives -- initially rejected by Secretary of State Matt Blunt -- had received enough signatures from registered voters to qualify for the Nov. 5 election.

The decisions by Cole County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Brown came just eight days before the deadline to get the measures printed on statewide ballots.

Voters will be asked whether to raise Missouri's cigarette tax to 72 cents a pack from the current 17 cents and increase taxes on other tobacco products by 20 percent.

While fishing Monday at Cape Girardeau's Capaha Park, the news of a proposed tax increase on tobacco products took John Wyatt, 28, of Scott City, Mo., by surprise. He has been smoking for 10 years and said he won't be deterred by any tax increases.

"It calms my nerves," he said. "I'd just start smoking the cheap ones."

Two-year smoker Kevin Mason, 39, of Scott City agreed.

"I'll just go with the cheapest brand they make," Mason said.

Though more taxes don't appeal to smoker Stacey King, 33, of Cape Girardeau, she has been looking for a reason to quit. If the measure passes, she said, "that's going to help me stop smoking."

Danny Simpson, 38, of Cape Girardeau described himself as an occasional smoker and said he is not too concerned about increased taxes.

"It doesn't bother me at all if I never smoke anymore," he said. "If people smoke and don't want to pay that much for a pack, then it's a good time for them to stop smoking."

Voters also will be asked whether to change the state constitution so unions for paid firefighters, ambulance personnel and fire and ambulance dispatchers could use collective bargaining with administrators. The emergency workers would have no right to strike.

To make the ballot, initiative supporters must get a certain number of petition signatures from at least six of Missouri's nine congressional districts.

Last month, Blunt determined the tobacco tax fell 673 signatures short in one district. Citizens for a Healthy Missouri, which is backing the tax increase, challenged the decision in court.

Writing expert testifies

On Monday, the group and Blunt's office agreed that 601 signatures initially rejected should be validated, which still left supporters 73 signatures short of the total needed.

William Storer, a handwriting expert from the St. Louis area, testified that after his review of rejected signatures, an additional 113 were valid. That was enough to persuade Brown to rule in favor of the measure's supporters.

"We are very pleased because it's an important proposal that's going to improve the health care of this state," said Brad Ketcher, a spokesman for tobacco tax group. "We have contended all along that we had enough valid signatures, and now the court has vindicated us."

Terry Jarrett, chief counsel for the secretary of state's office, said the bottom line is that voters will have the final say on the matter.

"Voters will decide," Jarrett said. "If they accept it, that's fine; if they don't, that's fine too."

The higher tobacco taxes are estimated to generate $342.6 million annually for the state. Under the proposal, 43 percent of the money would go to health care treatment, including prescription drugs for seniors and initiatives for the poor, women, minorities and children.

Twenty-nine percent would go to hospital trauma care; 14 percent to life sciences research; 7 percent to smoking prevention efforts; and 7 percent to early childhood programs.

Support of governor

Gov. Bob Holden said in a statement that he supports the tax.

"I will work to do whatever I can to support this measure that can save the lives of so many," Holden said.

Earlier in the day, a firefighters group and the secretary of state's office also agreed during a hearing before Brown that enough signatures were validated on the collective bargaining measure.

Last month, Blunt's office said the initiative had fallen 226 signatures short of making the ballot.

The Missouri State Council of Fire Fighters sued. But after reviewing disputed signatures, the secretary of state's office agreed to validate 293 previously rejected signatures, giving the measure 67 more signatures than needed.