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Ten candidates attended the forum, sponsored by SmokeFree Wisconsin and other local groups advocating for people with disabilities.
Wisconsin's budget has a $224 million deficit because of shortfalls in federal Medicaid funding. SmokeFree Wisconsin proposes raising the cigarette tax by 85 cents, which would generate an estimated $223 million in new revenue.
In the 32nd District state Senate race, Republican Dan Kapanke of the town of Campbell said he favors looking at a cigarette tax increase in the future. "First we need to get the state's financial house in order," Kapanke said.
"I won't support an increase in the cigarette tax," said Democrat Brad Pfaff of Onalaska. "We pay too much in taxes." Pfaff said he'd find other ways to fund state Medicaid programs.
In the 94th Assembly District, State Rep. Mike Huebsch, R-West Salem, said he supported raising the cigarette tax in 1994 from 38 cents to 78 cents. Huebsch said he's open to raising it again, but is concerned that at some point raising taxes on cigarettes could actually drive down revenues because smokers will buy in other states or from Indian smoke shops.
Democrat Vicki Burke of the town of Onalaska said she supports raising the cigarette tax as a "user fee" because of the cost of smoking-related health problems to the state.
In the 96th Assembly District, Republican Lee Nerison of Westby said he grew up on a dairy and tobacco farm. He said he favors an increase in cigarette taxes, but declined to say by how much.
Democrat Gail Frie of Viroqua said he doesn't think cigarette taxes are a stable revenue source, and favors fully funding the Medicaid budget from other sources.
In the 92nd Assembly District, Democrat Mike Taft of Jackson County said he favors raising the cigarette tax, calling it an "investment in the future of Wisconsin. We have to eliminate this pernicious, vicious product from our society."
Taft's opponent, state Rep. Terry Musser, R-Black River Falls, did not attend the forum.
Also attending was state Sen. Dale Schultz, R-Richland Center, a candidate for Congress running against U.S. Rep. Ron Kind, D-La Crosse.
Schultz wasn't asked the cigarette tax question, but did answer a number of questions about disability issues.
Schultz said his greatest accomplishments for people with disabilities include working with then-state Sen. Brian Rude in 1993 to create Independent Living Resources, an agency that helps people with disabilities. He also pointed to helping create the SeniorCare and BadgerCare programs.
Kind, who was returning from a trip to Iraq Monday, did not attend the forum.
State Rep. Jennifer Shilling, D-La Crosse, also attended. She does not have a Republican opponent in the 95th Assembly District.
Reid Magney can be reached at (608) 791-8211 or rmagney@lacrossetribune.com.
