Cigarette tax increase proposed by Senate President Joel Chaisson
Times-Picayune (excerpt)

Despite opposition from Jindal and some lawmakers, Senate President Joel Chaisson II said he wants lawmakers to at least debate a cigarette-tax increase at the spring session. Chaisson, a Destrehan Democrat who is term-limited this fall, said such a measure could be a small part of a compromise that minimizes cuts to colleges, universities and the health-care system in the state budget. Chaisson called the prospect of possible 30 percent cuts catastrophic. "There are people who want to cut our way out of a $1.6 billion deficit; I don't support that," Chaisson said. "There are people who want to raise taxes to cover the deficit without significant cuts. I don't support that, either." Chaisson said he is willing to entertain Jindal's proposal to sell state property -- including some prisons -- to generate one-time revenue for the fiscal year that begins July 1. But the president emphasized that such a move would only provide a short-term influx of cash, besides the fact it faces strong opposition among some lawmakers. "The governor has asked me to be open-minded about his ideas, and I have agreed," Chaisson said. "I have asked him to be open-minded, as well. ... I don't know if he will be." The 105-member House in 2009 garnered only 45 votes for a bill that would have raised the per-pack state tax from 36 cents to 86 cents, along with increases on other tobacco products.