Where Money Goes

The Wisconsin State Journal has an article up about how the state is cutting funding for the Tobacco Quit Line.

In spite of soaring state cigarette taxes, the Quit Line's funding was slashed by two-thirds - from $3.7 million a year to $1.2 million - as part of the broad cuts implemented in the 2009-11 budget signed by Gov. Jim Doyle to help solve the state's massive deficit. Total funding for anti-tobacco programs was cut from $15.3 million a year to $6.9 million.

This should come as a surprise to no one as it is but a repeat of what Wisconsin did when it settled with the tobacco industry. It decided to forego the full amount over many years for a one-time payment that was much smaller. And precious little when towards anti-smoking campaigns. These days, the state is demonizing smokers and extracting more money from them via sales tax only to neglect anti-smoking efforts again.

And so, when Rep. Terese Berceau comes to you looking to increase the beer excise tax on the grounds that the money will be used to help mitigate the effects of overconsumption on our state, cast a very critical eye in her direction. Berceau may very well be earnest in her desire for the money raised by increasing the beer excise tax to go to the programs she says it will, but, in the end, politics will win out. The money will go where the people who hold the purse strings deem it politically expedient for it to go.