Smokers and other rebels

The Transit Workers Union defied the law, betrayed the people and shut down the city as part of their fight against an indifferent and corrupt bureaucracy. Whatever the long-term consequences of the strike, it demonstrated the immediate need for real reform in the business of government. This past weekend, Albany answered that call with word that the Governor's forthcoming executive budget will double the state tax on cigarettes, from $1.50 to $3.00.

The governor has every reason to go ahead with this proposal. New York is on the front lines in the war on smoking, but the crusaders' are on a roll with recent victories in Chicago and Washington State, and bills pending in D.C. and New Jersey. The anti-smoking movement is mightier than ever before, and smokers are a retreating minority. And there's a lot of money to be made-New York State collected close to a billion dollars from tobacco excise taxes in 2005.

But if smokers get squeezed too hard, they might give up altogether; then that cash goes for good. New York generated $140 million less from the tax in 2005 than in 2003, a drop of close to 13 percent. Mayor Mike and the anti-smoking activists claim the numbers are positive, even from a financial perspective. Less revenue means less smoking, and less smoking means a healthier population. Better health means less healthcare costs, and a rosy economic future. But then how will we pay for the pensions from those 50-year-old transit retirees?