煙草在線據《雪茄迷》報道編譯　　加利福尼亞州人民享受優質雪茄的權利因消費稅的提高而再一次遭遇挑戰。

　　6月5日，加州選民將參與一項民意調查，就是否通過29號提案——《加利福尼亞癌癥研究法案》進行投票，該法案便是卷煙和其他煙草產品（OTP）提稅的法律來源。增加的稅收所得的收入將贈予各種各樣的癌癥研究基金，或用于反煙運動。

　　該提案將大幅度提高雪茄和其他煙草產品的消費稅，其中，其他煙草產品批發價格的稅率將從31.73%提高至54.89%

　　過去兩年中，煙草稅控制機構加州平稅局（Board of Equalization）曾下調過其他煙草產品的消費稅。2010年，委員會將稅率從41.11%下調至33.02%，去年，稅率再一次被下調至如今的31.73%。

　　美國雪茄權利組織（CRA）和國際名優雪茄和煙斗零售商聯盟（IPCPR）等雪茄游說組織對29號提案表示極力反對。IPCPR和CRA小組都承諾向加利福尼亞公民反對稅收浪費小組（California Citizens Against Wasteful Taxes）提供財政支援，該組織是由加州的雪茄愛好者、零售商、進口商和經銷商組成的投票委員會。

California Proposes Higher Tax on Cigars

CigarAficionado.com
Posted: April 9, 2012

　　The right to enjoy a premium cigar in California is once again under attack, this time in the form of a higher excise tax.

　　On June 5, California voters will go to the polls to decide whether or not to pass Proposition 29, or the California Cancer Research Act, an initiative that raises the tax on cigarettes and other tobacco products (OTP). Revenues from the tax proposal are to be doled out to various cancer research funds as well as anti-smoking campaigns.

　　The proposal would greatly increase the excise tax on cigars and other products that fall into the OTP category in California from 31.73 percent of the wholesale cost to 54.89 percent.

　　For the past two years, the state's Board of Equalization, which controls tobacco taxation, had decreased the OTP tax. In 2010, the board lowered the tax from 41.11 percent to 33.02 percent, and the tax was again decreased last year to its current 31.73 percent.

　　Cigar lobbying groups like the Cigar Rights of America and the International Premium Cigars and Pipe Retailers association have pledged to fight Proposition 29. Both the IPCPR and the CRA are committing financial resources to help California Citizens Against Wasteful Taxes, a ballot measure committee composed of California cigar enthusiasts, retailers, importers, and distributors.