New York Tobacco Tax Evasion Information Site

Tax-choked smokers are fleeing over the border and onto Indian reservations in search of discount cigarettes and sending Gov. Paterson’s anticipated tax windfall, well, up in smoke. Cigarette sales statewide have tumbled by nearly a third since New York’s highest-in-the-nation cig tax of $4.35 took effect on July 1, according to state tax data and sales reports released yesterday by retailers.

Politicians expand tobacco taxes to discourage smoking and to feed their own nicotine-like addiction to public spending. Like so many others, this government action smolders with unintended consequences. Tobacco taxes create a perfect arbitrage opportunity that radical Muslims exploit to collect money for terrorist groups

New York State faces a $9 billion shortfall while failing to collect taxes on the billions of dollars worth of cigarettes sold by Native American reservations. Why? Headed by chairman Craig Johnson, the New York State Standing Committee on Investigations takes a close look at why we’re not collecting these taxes. Read the report, share [...]

Led by its Greek-born owner and C.E.O., John Catsimatidis, a longtime New York City mayoral wannabe who smokes an occasional cigar, Gristedes Foods Inc. has claimed in protracted litigation that Indian merchants on two Eastern Long Island reservations are luring away New York customers, and even helping to fund organized crime gangs and terrorist groups like Hezbollah with bulk sales