New York and their local Indian tribes are in a legal war over the state's $4.35-a-pack cigarette tax. The tribe made cigarettes bring in millions of dollars each year and New York wants a piece of that income. These Indian reservations are sovereign nations and i believe the state has no right to tax cigarette that are manufactured and sold there. The original reason for these tax laws was to decrease the rate of smoking but if that was New York's real concern they would be fighting for less greedy legislation to reduce sales. The state could outlaw the Indian made cigarettes outside the reservation like they do with gambling and the state would have the right to do so, but trying to take money that they have no legal right to is an abuse of power.
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3 comments:
If they outlawed it could you get in trouble for smoking these cigarettes off their reservations? I think that the Indians have found lots of ways of making money and the government is greedy. I don't think they should be able to take their money either. http://www.buycigarettesonline.org/buy-cigarettes-indian-reservation-duty-free.html Check out this link. I thought it was pretty good and talks about this issue.
I think the government should have this go the same way as gambling. Only on reservations. However I think it'd be appropriate to at least consider making it so only Indians can purchase these cigarettes exempt of tax.
If they want to make their own cigarettes and sell them among themselves, let them, but I agree with what Sharon and Danny wrote, only on reservations.
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