Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson will propose a still-undetermined increase in the state’s tax on cigarettes next year to help replace declining state tax revenues.
Parkinson spokeswoman Beth Martino said the governor has not decided on how large of a tax hike to seek. The increased revenue could be applied to health care costs, she said, or to replace lagging general fund revenue.
Kansas currently levies a tax on cigarettes of 79 cents per pack. The national average of state taxes is $1.34 per pack. An increase of 55 cents per pack, which would bring Kansas to the national average, would generate an additional $88 million a year.
