CALL TO ACTION
“SAY NO TO HIGHER TAXES!!!”
July 11, 2007

            Currently, the United States Congress is debating raising the Federal Excise Tax on cigarettes. We urge you to contact the members of Congress listed below and voice your opposition to ANY increase in the Federal Excise Tax on cigarettes.

            Support for hiking the excise cigarette tax is incorrectly based on the idea that the excess tax will fuel government funding.  This is a short-term solution for a long-term problem that will eventually cause lost employment and state revenue instability.

            The tax increase would hurt Florida residents far more than it would help them. Excise tax is based solely on the product, and puts low-income consumers at a serious disadvantage by not taking their financial means into consideration.  Thoughtless cigarette tax increases are aimed at benefiting the government, not the individual.

            Supporters of an excise cigarette increase have tunneled their vision to only see the benefit of more government funds through unfair taxation.  They have not considered the negative impacts on legal cigarette retailers and consumers.

            I trust that you too will see the importance of keeping cigarette taxes fair for the benefit of the consumer, as well as the retail industry.  We again urge you to contact the Florida members of Congress listed below and voice your opposition to ANY increase in federal excise tax on cigarettes.

            Thank you for your support on this issue.

                                                                                    Sincerely,
                                                                                   
                                                                                    Barney T. Bishop III
                                                                                    President and Chief Executive Officer