September 30, 2008 Decision day on NH cigarette tax hike

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - Unless a lot of cigarettes are sold Tuesday
in New Hampshire, the state tax on them will rise a quarter a pack.

Legislators voted in the spring to leave the tax at $1.08 a pack
until the end of September, but to raise it on October first -
Wednesday - if the tax did not bring in $50 million in three
months.

As of Monday afternoon, revenues were more than $3 million short
of that figure.

Peter Boisvert of the state revenue department is
monitoring the situation. He says it's possible wholesalers will
buy enough tax stamps Tuesday to avoid the tax increase, but he
thinks they will decide that is too costly.

Even with the increase to $1.33 a pack, New Hampshire's tax is
lower than those in surrounding states.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)