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Early childhood advocates in Arizona are seeking to qualify a measure for the November ballot that would raise tobacco taxes to pay for a variety of services for preschool children reports
Education Week (August 9, 2006;
www.edweek.org). The measure, the Arizona Early Childhood Development and Health Initiative, which is backed by the Basha's grocery store chain, would increase tobacco taxes by 80 cents, raising the total tax on cigarettes to $1.98 a pack.
The proceeds from the tax, which could be as high as $150 million per year, would be spent on local and regional services for young children, including health screening, early development services, and preschool. Information and training would be made available to Arizona parents, and grants would be distributed to existing private and faith-based providers to improve programs.
Comments (2)
Displaying All 2 CommentsEdmonton mennonite centre for Newcomers
Edmonton, Alberta, United States
Congratulations! What a great idea for getting more fundings to support early childhood development and assesment.
United States
The thing that bothers me about this proposed tax is the fact that it COULD bring in 150 million dollars for schools? This nation is trying to get people to quit using tobacco. People should not get the idea that they are doing something good by purchasing a pack of cigarettes, and does this mean if our country's health initiatives toward irradicating tobacco use are successful the money for ECE goes down? Every state needs to appropriate enough money to pay for ECE intiatives probably by taxing everyone equally, but certainly not based on whether or not someone purchases a pack of cigarettes.
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