Voters Defeat California Tobacco Tax

California voters rejected the Proposition 29 tobacco tax at the polls on election day, rejecting an extra $1.00 state tax on cigarettes, cigars and chewing tobacco.

The tobacco tax ballot measure was defeated due to the widespread perception that Proposition 29 was more about raising taxes than reducing smoking or curing cancer.

The tobacco corporations poured big bucks into statewide advertising to oppose the proposed tax.

It totally worked like a charm.

The California tobacco tax increase was narrowly defeated, 50.8 percent to 49.2 percent.

The San Francisco Bay Area voted for it.  Southern California voted against it.

The South won.

This is the second time a tobacco tax failed on the California ballot.  Back in 2006, Proposition 86 went up in smoke as well.

Light up, California.