One of the most debated issues in this Tuesday’s primary election is Prop 29.
If it passes, a new 15-year tax would be placed on all tobacco products. A pack of cigarettes would go up $1.
The idea behind Proposition 29 is to raise money in California. $735 million each year would go toward cancer research and funding education programs to prevent kids from smoking.
"I have plenty of empathy for that, but that's not the deal," said Moses Soza Sr., owner of Cigar Mas Fino.
The owner of the shop in northeast Fresno strongly opposes Prop 29 because it would increase his prices by 40%.
“A cigar that costs $10 will eventually become $14 and as a small business owner I have to pass that on to my customer,” said Soza.
Soza says it opens the door for customers to seek alternatives, like buying cigars on the internet to avoid the tax, which could create a devastating domino effect.
“It closes down a small business because they're still going to smoke, but we're also going to lose on state and local tax,” said Soza.
Thursday evening, volunteers with the American Cancer Society called Fresno County voters hoping to gain their support.
“It may indeed help us find a cure for cancer,” said Helen Hubbard of the American Cancer Society.
Hubbard says the public is being misinformed by ads that say the tax dollars will be spent outside of our state.
“You know who's behind the no. If you look at the small print running for ads, you've got Philip Morris and RJ Reynolds,” said Hubbard.
So what will Prop 29 do for voter participation on Tuesday? CBS47 Political Analyst, Don Larson, says not much.
“It may cause a mass turnout of smokers, but the fact is it's only a tax on those who smoke. If you don't smoke, it's not your problem,” said Don Larson.
Larson continues that point saying that in the big picture smoking is our entire problem. Because we as taxpayers are going to have to cover the hospital bills that smokers eventually rack up.
