Gov. Paterson threatens to raise taxes on cigarettes to cover health care costs: "ALBANY - Gov. Paterson's no new taxes pledge may not extend to smokers.
As he prepares to unveil his 2009-10 budget proposal on Jan. 19, Paterson Sunday morning raised the possibility of again raising the state's $2.75 per pack cigarette excise tax, the third highest in the country.
'We're not increasing any personal income taxes,' Paterson told 106.9 FM in Syracuse. 'If things get rough, we might go back to a cigarette tax that would be devoted to health care. We would think about doing that.'
New York last hiked its cigarette excise tax by $1.25 in June 2008.
That's on top of the $1.50 per pack the city charges and $1.01 per pack federal excise tax.
The average pack in New York City is now close to $10."
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