Q: What are the cigarette taxes in states adjacent to Georgia? It has been in the news that they will raise the cigarette tax and people will go to other states to buy them.
—David Dicky, Decatur
A: Georgia has the 47th lowest cigarette tax in the nation, at 37 cents a pack, according to the Federation of Tax Administrators. Cigarette taxes in the surrounding states (as of Jan. 1):
Alabama — 42.5 cents
Florida — $1.34
North Carolina — 45 cents
South Carolina — 57 cents
Tennessee — 62 cents
Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal said last month he’s not in favor of raising the state’s cigarette tax to $1.60 a pack, the amount favored by anti-smoking groups and health care advocates, The AJC reported. Raising the tax to that amount would generate an extra $554 million by 2020, researchers at Georgia State University predict.
Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley has proposed increasing that state’s tax to $1.25 a pack. Missouri has the lowest tax at 17 cents a pack and New York’s is the highest at $4.35 a pack.
Q: When is this year’s sales tax holiday? Who determines it?
—Lance DeLoach, Thomaston
A: The first sales tax holiday for 2015 is scheduled to begin at 12:01 a.m. July 31 and ends at midnight Aug. 1 and is for clothes, shoes, school supplies and computer equipment. The second sales tax holiday will start at 12:01 a.m. Oct. 2 and ends at midnight Oct. 4, and pertains to energy-efficient appliances. The dates are determined by the state Legislature.
Andy Johnston wrote this column. Do you have a question about the news? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or email q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).
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