Mayor David Brown looked around at the thin crowd at May 7’s City Council meeting and asked if there were any speakers for a public comment session on the cigarette tax. The few remaining audience members looked around at each other, likely trying to figure out which people were secretly tobacco users, cursing the progressive 10-cent hike to the city’s 25-cent cigarette tax. No one—not even the surreptitious smokers—spoke.
So, Brown promptly closed the public commentary on the cigarette tax levy.
 In July, the price of the R-rated act of smoking will go up 10 cents per pack. Nary a peep was made at City Council protesting the decision, expected to bring in $150,000 to the city’s budget. |
The Council members voted, five X’s all indicating “Yes,” and voila! Charlottesville smokers thus are to pay more for their cigs—35 cents in tax per pack to be exact. But where, oh where, was the nicotine-stained dissent at City Council?
According to city spokesman Ric Barrick, “There was lots of public hearing during the budget process…[and the cigarette tax] did get a good deal of press.” But, Barrick says, “I didn’t hear one person that actually said one thing or the other. No comment from any smoker or nonsmoker that it was a good or bad idea.”
Historically, according to Barrick, Charlottesville citizens have been supportive of a cigarette tax. The money goes into the general fund and pays for things like schools, city programs and operating expenses. The new budget projects the tax will raise almost $700,000 this year.
Barrick says that a study of the number of smokers in town reveals Charlottesville is below national averages. But, as we know, Charlottesville is above national averages in numbers of vocal residents. Surely someone objects to the cigarette tax.
C-VILLE headed to one Downtown bar where smoking is thriving: Miller’s. What we found was not only a significantly different cast of characters than at your typical City Council meeting, but also not a lot of concern about the tariff on cancer sticks.
“It’s only 10 cents. It’s not that big a deal. Where I’m from [New Jersey], I pay $7.50 a pack,” says Stephanie Egger, a waitress at the restaurant.
It appears dissent, on this issue at least, is a dying flame.—with additional reporting by Jayson Whitehead
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