Senator Kruger is Right: Capture Cigarette Taxes Now

ALBANY, NY (11/16/2009)(readMedia)-- James Calvin, President of the New York Association of Convenience Stores, issued the following statement regarding today's press conference by state Senator Carl Kruger.

"Senator Kruger and his colleagues on both sides of the aisle are absolutely justified to insist on collecting state taxes on Native American sales of cigarettes to non-Indian customers as one element of short-term and long-term deficit reduction.

"Governor Paterson has the legal authority, the constitutional obligation, and the tools at his disposal to collect these taxes, which our economist says would generate $1 billion a year in new revenue." (See www.nyacs.org/documents/09OConnortaxstudyupdate.pdf)

"In accordance with the U.S. Supreme Court's unanimous 1994 Attea decision, the taxes would be pre-collected by the Tax Department from non-Indian wholesale distributors on purchases by non-Indian consumers at Indian retail outlets. A coupon system would ensure that no tribal member would pay one dime in state taxes, and no state tax inspector would need to set foot on Indian territory. It hardly sounds invasive. What's the hold-up?"