How many Midwestern states increased cigarette taxes in 2002?
According to the Federation of Tax Administrators, six states in the Midwestern region increased their cigarette taxes in 2002, joining the 13 others nationwide that boosted rates last year. Per-pack tax increases in Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Nebraska and Ohio ranged from 30 cents to 50 cents. The average cigarette tax rate in the United State is 48 cents (compared to 64 cents in the Midwestern states), with the national extremes being Virginia at 2.5 cents per pack and Massachusetts at $1.51 per pack. The highest cigarette tax in this region is in Michigan, where the per-pack rate of $1.25 is the sixth highest among U.S. states. South Dakota had the lowest rate in the Midwest, 33 cents per pack, entering the 2003 legislative session. However, in its final budget agreement this year, the Legislature decided to boost the rate by 20 cents. As a result, Iowa now has the regions lowest rate (36 cents per pack). In comparison to other proposed tax increases, changes to the cigare
