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Interesting! I'm not paying a high tax. The retailers I've visited just have a ridiculously high markup!

Another example of how government is just like the mafia. In Washington, government makes more on tobacco sales than the grower, roller, manufacturer, wholesaler, distributor, and retailer combined. Any potholes in the roads up there?

I live in Washington state. Yes, cigar prices are very high here with our 129.42% tax. But I wonder why prices are not cheaper elsewhere. I spent last summer in California and prices are about the same. I price cigars at Indian reservations and they're not much cheaper.

Slim... why else do you think we love CBid so much here in Washington !!! Give me a C..give me a B..give...oh you know what I mean. The tax is also why we criminals go to the Indians for cigarettes. I hear that the Indians have raised their prices to obstensively(sp) collect some tax money on their wares but the money doesn't go to the State. It is just to make the cigarettes cost about the same on the Reservation as they do in the stores. But they are still about half the price of the same brands at Safeway.

It is surprising that there aren't any really good cigar shops on the reservations around here. And the few that are around aren't all that much cheaper and are poorly maintained.

Oh well, CBID, I really love Ya' man....69

Robby --- there was something about that a few days ago on a couple of our local news channels about internet sales, and that Californians are required by law to pay taxes on internet purchases. Is calle a 'use tax', ore something like that ...

For now ... they want it to be voluntary ... and we are supposed to report it!

Here's one of the articles I found on it:

California reconsidering Internet sales taxes

By The Associated Press

SACRAMENTO — With his state staring at a budget deficit that could hit $35 billion, California Gov. Gray Davis is rethinking his longstanding objection to imposing sales taxes on Internet commerce — a move that could ignite similar steps around the nation.

With states around the country facing a collective $50 billion budget gap this year and $70 billion next year, lawmakers are increasingly eyeing online revenues to plug their shortfalls.

Last year, Internet sales ballooned to $79 billion, or about 3 percent of all retail sales, according to Forrester Research.

California alone may be losing $1.7 billion this year by not taking a deeper cut of Internet sales, which is why two bills to tax Internet sales have been filed in the Legislature.

If either were to pass, the movement to tax Internet sales would gain serious clout, said Utah Tax Commissioner R. Bruce Johnson, a leader of the push.

"It's difficult to overstate the importance of California's participation in this project," he said.

A U.S. Supreme Court decision says states cannot force businesses to collect their sales taxes unless the company has a physical presence in that state.

While California stores with online sites faithfully collect sales taxes for the state, most online sellers such as Seattle-based Amazon.com say it's impossible to collect sales taxes for an estimated 7,500 taxing districts nationally.

But 34 states and the District of Columbia are trying to come up with a simple standard from a hodgepodge of sales-tax definitions to persuade Congress to lift a national moratorium against Internet sales taxes. Also, major retailers have agreed on a way to collect Internet sales taxes in 37 states.

So far, California and other states with high-tech and investment sectors — including New York, Colorado, Massachusetts and Georgia — have largely watched from the sidelines.

The worst enemy in California is our ultral liberal approach to unemployment and health care. One of the largest drains on the system are people who use California as the destination for unemployment. My wife's sister wanted to move back because she would get a $400 a month raise by being unemployed in California as opposed to Missouri. She wouldn't be restricted from using the emergency room as her personal physician like she is in Missouri. She can get her prescription antidepressants and mood adjusters easier here than anywhere else.

Back to the thread.....I noticed prices for smokes here are just as high as the "higher tax" states if not higher.

In addition to the high wholsale tax, California has a "per unit" tax on cigarettes and an enhanced tax on smokeless tobacco. I think it gets pretty close to 100% plus over retail figuring in local sales tax.

But on the other hand...my $7.50 bottle of Chumeia (Paso Robles) 1998 Zinfandel I bought at the winery will run you over $15 out of state. The good life has its costs.

Of course, if you used 3 gallons of gas @$2.50 per to get to the winery, it's a wash.

It seems like there are alot of us angry Washingtonians. One of us ought to be smart enough to get some legislation going separating cigars from the cigarette tax as it is in alot of states. Or challenge the current tax. Isn't restraint of trade a constitutional thing?

Rayder1:
Bulk is everything.....of course, you're talking to a guy who drove 200mi. roundtrip just to score 4 cases of real high-test canadian beer...and I'd do it again...should've seen the look on the frog customs guy's face who asked me the reason for my trip to Quebec province.."just to buy beer?...I do not believe you..." There is no condescension like French-Canadian condescension. But the beer was excellent!