Big Tobacco companies have inserted an amendment to the massive federal highway bill that is currently being debated in Congress. This amendment reclassifies all small Roll Your Own (RYO) cigarette retail shops as “cigarette manufacturers” for the sole purpose of driving them OUT of business, killing jobs across the country and limiting consumer choice.
Beginning Tuesday, May 8, the House and Senate will begin meeting to discuss this bill in a conference committee.
From Tax Tracker --
We’ve all played a good game of hide & seek, right? Cover your eyes, count to ten, run around and find your friends? It’s fun because you get to exercise just how clever you can be. If you can stay hidden, you’re clever. If you can find people, you’re clever. It’s a game that is SO much fun, some members of Congress are still playing!
Hidden in the Senate’s massive version of the 2012 transportation reauthorization act is a teeny weeny provision allowing Big Tobacco companies to SQUASH small businesses. You heard me. In between money for roads, bridges, airports, trains, and Amtrak is a monumental United States Government bailout for Big Tobacco.
TODAY’S MESSAGE: Enough hide and seek. Tell Congress REMOVE the #BigTobacco bailout from the highway bill. It’s a job killer. http://bit.ly/NewTax
If you’re a frequent reader of my blog, you already know this. But, we’re getting new readers every day so here it is again:
Big Tobacco has bought some lawmakers. These lawmakers have introduced legislation reclassifying small tobacco shops where you can roll your own smokes as “tobacco manufacturing” facilities. This throws small, roadside tobacco shops into the same tax and regulatory category as mammoth cigarette manufacturing facilities. Unfair, right? Well, the pain doesn’t last long for Mom & Pop tobacco shops. They pretty much go out of business immediately.
Why is Big Tobacco doing this? Because 99 percent market share isn’t enough. They make no money off people who roll their own smokes. If they can eliminate our ability to roll our own, Big Tobacco thinks they’ll pocket more money. Which, they probably will if they’re successful.
That’s where you come in.
You can help by reaching out to members of Congress. Scroll through some of my previous posts for lists of folks to hit.
Today: Engage a few members in the morning and a few members in the afternoon. Take a few minutes for Facebook. And if you have time, take a few minutes to post in the comments section of online news stories. Members of the news media appreciate heads’ up on how their member responds to your inquiries!
Tuesday, Congress reconvenes to hammer out a final 2012 transportation reauthorization act. Let our voices be heard!
WHAT SHOULD I DO I HAVE THE RYO MACHINES AT MY STORE AND NEED TO KNOW WHAT I CAN DO AND MY CUSTOMERS CAN DO, BIG TOBACCO ARE ROTTEN SOB PLEASE HELP .
ReplyDeleteGUY C
IN BRADENTON FL.
ReplyDeleteNEED ALL THE INFO YOU HAVE TO FIGHT THIS,
THANK YOU, GUY
Hi Guy
ReplyDeleteEmail us at clevelandteaparty@gmail.com and I will send you my phone number and explain more.
Otherwise, I would print out the contact info for your Congressmen in FL. Put it up it up in your store ad have your customers call them.
I would also start an email sign up list so you can keep your customers up to date on how they can help battle this.
It's not too late! Call the White House Comment Line @ 202-456-1111. Ask them to remove clause 100122 from the Highway Bill and explain how this is going to put thousands of people out of a job. Rolling your own is not only a better option for smokers, its also a constitutional right. Our store alone has gotten 63 people to stop smoking and 100% of our customers have slowed way down in the year we have been opened. The owner and most of our employees are nonsmokers. Our number one goal is too help people. Our cartons are half the price of factory cigarettes and they are 100% chemical free. What we are doing is a good thing, and they are trying to take that right away from us. Obama signs the bill Friday, we still have hope.
ReplyDelete