JUNK MAIL SOLUTION

An email I received regarding concern over the increase in
tax on cigarettes prompted me to consider other ways to generate
revenue from tax dollars. My smoking habit went away several years
ago with the help of Nicorette and I now hate the smell of the
stuff. With all the information that is out there, young people
are still lighting up for the first time. Even more disturbing
is when I see college students lighting up. HELLOOO! Get smart
in one respect and get stupid in another...go figure. Personally,
I could care less how high they raise the cigarette tax. I don't
think there are a lot of people stupid enough to pay $10 a pack
to kill themselves and everyone around them but then again, the
increases that have occurred over the years have not put an end
to the activity of lighting up.

Why aren't cigarettes illegal when they are so harmful? The answer
is simple....the tax dollars they generate along with the number
of politicians that smoke. If cigarettes were removed from the
consumer market, laws would have to be created that allow for the
prosecution of tobacco possession,dealing and manufacturing of, but
huge fines would replace some of the cost to do so. But then, the
ripple effect of putting people in jail would increase taxes for the
taxpayer.

How would the government ever make up the difference in tax
collected? Charging a penny or two for each piece of junk mail
that is distributed would solve part of the problem. It would
create millions in new revenue because most advertisers will
continue to send it out although they will surely pass on the
cost to the consumer by raising the cost of their products and
services. But, the responsibility is with the consumer not to buy
the products.

I sure would like to get a lot less junk in my mailbox. It doesn't
seem to help to write "return to sender" on it nor does it help to
return it in the envelope provided when I pay a bill. Increasing
the postage in the form of a tax on junk mail may convince some
companies that it is too costly to send out so much junk mail and
rather than raise prices may cut down on the amount of junk that
reaches your mailbox.

They don't call me Dream Weaver for nothing.