FRANKFORT, Ky. — The Kentucky Senate will reject a proposed first-in-the-nation tax on prescription opioids, with the chamber’s top Republican leader saying the idea has too many legal problems for it to be in the foundation of a two-year state spending plan.
The state’s House of Representatives approved the 25-cent per dose tax earlier this month, saying it would bring in about $140 million over the next two years. Lawmakers planned to use that money, plus revenue from an accompanying 50-cent hike in the cigarette tax, to pay for public education among other state services.
Brilliant! Put a tax that would double or triple the cost of a month’s worth of legally prescribed pain pills on the shoulders of patients whom a physician has judged to be in enough real pain to require opioid medication for relief of daily suffering. That’s exactly who deserves to bear the burden of paying for ever increasing educational bills, underfunded pensions , etc. I am always amazed by the logic of politicians, and how they seem to believe that the average every day citizen can just reach a bit deeper into their pockets and pay for whatever tax they come up with next! OK, they shelved it for now, but be on the lookout for it, I bet we’ll see it again.