Tobacconist Responds To Cigarette Tax Increase

As Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear and House Democratic try to come to agreement on cigarette tax hike, one Louisville retailer says the 70 cent per pack increase proposed by the governor would send his customers across the river.A 70 cent hike would give Kentucky a higher cigarette tax than any neighboring state except Ohio.Gaile Sallee, the manager of Kremer’s Smoke Shop in Louisville says that much of an increase would hurt his business.“Right now we have some Indiana people who come over here to get them," says Sallee. "That will totally change. It’ll be like gambling, we’ll take all our money over to Indiana.”Sallee said he could live with a 25 cent tax increase proposed by House Democrats. Governor Beshear says his plan would generate some much-needed revenue for the Commonwealth.