In reading about the debate among the county commissioners over the proposed new smoker tax I am reminded of the response retired Atlanta talk show host Neal Boortz gave in response to a question about the Georgia Lottery. "I am all for it," Neal said," it's a tax on poor people and they don't pay enough taxes."
According to the CDC, 29 percent of people below the poverty line smoke, as opposed to 17.9 percent of those above.
In addition a person with a GED is nine times more likely to smoke than one with a graduate degree. A smoker tax is in fact a tax on the poor and less educated.
I am surprised the Tennessee Democrat party (what's left of it anyway), being the great friend of the poor and working people, has not publicly opposed this proposed tax.
Douglas Jones
Ooltewah