Also won't get into the smoking thing. Most bans don't bother me, but I do know of one resturaunt it killed (It's one of those tierred ones, so because that place had more than 75% revenue from food- good steaks and stuff- they couldn't have smoking while the bars around it could so no one hung out after dinner, and then people just stopped going), and I know of a couple that do the whole slide a half cup of water your way.

I voted! I voted for Democrats, Libraries, low to moderate income housing and parks. I voted against moving some poor people so the city can have their land and court facilities.

I wish there had been more about the election and less about fucking buckeye football.

Isn't that true of everything in our fair city?

It's also a pretty regressive tax, which I'm against on principle.

Hmm.... P-C's link is swaying me a little, but whenever I see sites like that, I want to know who is behind the "facts" site.

Granted, there are questionable people with obvious agendas (of course small businesses oppose the tax, because they don't actually get any of that extra money they have to charge their customers!), but the fact that law enforcement, educators, and healthcare folks are up there is a stronger argument.

Props 1a through 1e are about raising taxes to pay for things like schools, roads, infrastructure stuff. My position that I'm in favor of all those things is only strengthened by the fact that the people who are against them in the voters booklet are a group called the Taxpayer Protection Something or Other, which basically sounds like a group of Republicans who just don't want to pay for the things these bills are supposed to pay for.

Yeah, that's a little weird, and basically, I understand that all the bills probably suck, so I chose my battles. I also took a look at The League's assessments, which are pretty interesting and easy to understand. They have a good argument against 1A, which I didn't really get from the booklet, even though it did sort of make the same case.

I'd like to see us get away from the 'sin tax' mentality and move a little mor e to ward the luxery tax. Not that I am sure how to define luxery- and for all i know that would include things like alcohol.

Is there a "penalty" tax on alcohol? I wouldn't mind paying a little more tax on alcohol to fund detox programs.

Not that I know of. And the thing is, if more of the proposed tax was going to smoking cessation programs, I might not have such an issue with it.

And I do understand about the health issues, especially those that involve kids. However, as a smoker, I am already paying higher premiums on my heath insurance, with I am happy to do. Chances are my smoking will cost more in health costs. But as someone pointed out up thread, alcochol wreaks just as much havoc, and in my opinion a heck of a lot more with public costs and insurance and medi-care and medi-caid.

It's also a pretty regressive tax, which I'm against on principle.

This, more than anything, is swaying me from my yes vote on our prop. It's going to hit poor people (who are disproportionately smokers) the hardest, and as such, will likely lead to more crime -- black market cigarettes, more liquor store robberies.....

Alright, I think I'm sold against it.

Until somebody sways me back the other way.

Someone remind me how much I don't want to answer the phone when I have nummy celery with peanut butter in my hand.

as such, will likely lead to more crime -- black market cigarettes, more liquor store robberies.....

Right, that's why the law enforcement is against it. It's also the same reason the parental notification prop is a bad, bad idea. It will only lead to more dangerously unsafe abortions by minors.

Alright, I think I'm sold against it.

I feel politically relevant.

It's also the same reason the parental notification prop is a bad, bad idea.

The scare tactic PRO argument in the voter's guide really pissed me off: "PARENTS! Right now anyone can arrange a secret abortion for your daughter and you won't even know."

Screw you. Even if I had a minor daughter, screw you.