Smoke signals

COEUR d'ALENE - Democrats think it could be an economic boost to the state, not to mention being healthy.

Republicans call the idea a waste of time - an out-of-touch tax hike.

Smokers, well, they feel picked on.

"Find something else," said Coeur d'Alene smoker Tim Bachteler Wednesday on a cigarette tax increase proposal circling the Legislature. "There's plenty of places they can get the money. Why don't they jack up the (taxes) on the people with the big houses and the boats? Why don't they do that?"

The idea is to raise cigarette taxes by $1.25.

Currently, it's at .57 cents.

But the proposal isn't a proposal yet, more like a gridlock.

On Wednesday Idaho's minority Democrats began their bid to force hearings on the introduction for a cigarette tax hike, as well as a referendum on public schools chief Tom Luna's education reforms by using stall tactics meant to slow progress to a crawl as lawmakers near the end of the 2011 Legislature.

Their first move: Forcing bills to be read in their entirety, which dragged Wednesday's proceedings to a near standstill.

"There's an easy way," said House Minority Leader John Rusche, D-Lewiston. "All we are asking is they give people a chance to be heard on issues that are of great importance to them. We're hoping they realize it's up to them."

Democrats say they are forced to resort to these procedural maneuvers to make their point.

They're outnumbered 57-13, but think the cigarette tax increase would reduce smoking rates, - especially among youths - and raise about $50 million to soften the blow of cuts to state education and Medicaid programs.

But the Republican majority has refused to schedule debate for the proposed education referendum or the $1.25 hike. Conservative, anti-tax GOP lawmakers who ran before last November's general election on campaigns based on holding the line mean to make good on those promises.

"Voters sent us a clear, clear message," said Rep. Erik Simpson, R-Idaho Falls, on the public's stance on raising taxes. "I think we are following through."

Around 17 percent of Idaho's adult population uses tobacco, according to the Panhandle Health District, while around 21 percent of Kootenai County's population smokes.

Cynthia Taggart, PHD director, said Idaho's cigarette tax is one of the smallest in the country, and an increase could reduce recently-declining smoking rates.

"It might save a lot of money," she said. "But it might also save a lot of lives."

Some smokers in Coeur d'Alene said otherwise.

Raising taxes on cigarettes and booze is nothing new, and what's left to show for it? They asked. Especially since the state has to turn around and ask for more.

"Where did the money go last time?" said smoker Amanda Reed, who has been taxed before to help fund education, without seeing a noticeable improvement in her elementary school child's education. "If I knew for a fact that the money went to (improving) schools, I might look at it another way, but I'm not sure it does."

Others said if you light up, you're ostracized enough already. They can't smoke in public already and now if you smoke, you might have to pay more to cover a budget shortfall.

"Tax something else," said Heather Wilks, a smoker, who wouldn't quit with the increase, "just go more broke."

"Why are you always taxing the smokers and the drinkers?" she said.

By delaying the legislation process, Republicans called a press conference after this procedural standoff and began to chide the Democrats for potentially delaying the session's end, adding $30,000 each day lawmakers remain in Boise.

They also said they wouldn't be willing to give Democrats a public forum to attack Luna's education reforms that have passed so far on nearly party-line votes in the House.

With the proposed education referendum, Democrats are demanding the opportunity to debate whether the Legislature should put a 2012 vote before the public on Luna education reforms that seek to increase Internet education, remove teacher job protections and restrict collective bargaining rights.