Tobacco Tax Ticker

       Challenging economic times are here...

                         Health programs that serve the neediest New Yorkers are at risk...

                                                    Every second of every day, New York is losing money...

Click here to read the press release.

Methodology
In 2006, the New York State Department of Health (DOH) published a study of tax evasion based on surveying smokers and asking them about their purchasing habits. The DOH study estimated lost revenue to reservation sales (not including Internet) at $329 million in 2004. On June 3, 2008, the tax rate increased to $2.75, an increase of 83%. Increasing $329 million by 83% nets $602 million in revenue lost to reservation sales every year. Dividing $602 million by 365 days provides for $1,649,315.08 in lost revenue every day. There are 525,600 minutes in a year, which divided into $602 million, provides for $1,145.36 in lost revenue per minute to reservation sales. This translates into $19.08 per second.