Just Who are The "We" of "We Pay," Anyway?
The claim that a particular behavior imposes costs on “society” is often used to justify government regulation. “Libertarianism or personal freedom cant be justified when it reaches into the pockets of others,” said Representative Dorothy Gotlieb (R-Denver) in support of her bill letting police stop and ticket motorists not wearing seatbelts, “With increased use of seat belts we can expect $80 million in savings in accident health care, insurance and related costs.”
More Taxes and Less Free Speech
Synopsis: House Bill 99-1208 imposes overbroad and unconstitutional restrictions on cartoons of all types, and on tobacco advertising. It raises taxes on the false theory that smoking costs the State money. What the Bill Does: This bill extends the principles of the tobacco settlement. It empowers the state will collect an additional tax on each […]
Tobacco Settlement Revenue: The Money Belongs to the Taxpayers, not the Government
Synopsis: Senate Bill 99-054 Synopsis: Senate Bill 99-054 is one of several bills dealing with revenues from the recent Tobacco Settlement. SB 54 is superior to most of the other bills, because it requires the revenue to be placed in a trust fund. But it is illegitimate for the legislature to keep any of the tobacco settlement money, since the money is a de facto tax increase on tobacco. Tobacco settlement revenues should be refunded to the people, either through a general tax cut, or through programs to compensate the alleged victims of the tobacco companies–namely the smokers.
Mandatory Seat Belt Laws Cause Dangerous Driving, and Invade Privacy
Synopsis: House Bill 99-1212, which makes driving or riding in a car without a seat belt into a “primary” traffic offense, is yet another attempt to control peoples own decisions about risk taking. Research shows that when reckless drivers are forced to buckle up, they drive even more recklessly. Thus, careful drivers (who wear seat belts by choice) are endangered. Moreover, mandatory seat belt laws also increase the risk that minorities or other groups will be victimized by pretextual traffic stops.
Visiting Nurse Programs: A Good Idea, but Not with Tobacco Loot
Senate Bill 132 contains many provisions for what to do with the revenue from the new tobacco Asettlement@ (really, a new tobacco tax). The most worthwhile of these is for a visiting nurse program for at-risk new mothers. Such programs have an established record of success. In the long run, visiting nurse programs save the government a great deal of money, including reduced welfare and criminal justice costs. Any Visiting Nurse or similar program should be carefully structured to avoid civil liberties problems.
Mandatory Seat Belt Laws Cause Dangerous Driving, and Invade Privacy
Synopsis: House Bill 99-1212, which makes driving or riding in a car without a seat belt into a quot;primaryquot; traffic offense, is yet another attempt to control peoples own decisions about risk taking. Research shows that when reckless drivers are forced to buckle up, they drive even more recklessly. Thus, careful drivers (who wear seat […]
