I don't smoke, and don't know whether New York tobacco taxes are too high, but they must be a lot higher than Pennsylvania's. Driving home from New York City to Rochester this afternoon, I happened to stop for gas at the last exit on I-81 in Pennsylvania before crossing into New York. There didn't seem to be any town, just a clump of gas stations and fast-food restaurants -- plus Indian Joe's Tobacco Shop (at least it's not 'Injun Joe's'), the Tobacco Emporium, and Smokin' Joe's: there may have been others.
Posted by Dr. Weevil at January 19, 2003 11:03 PMYeah, they are...so's everything in New York for that matter. I live on the PA side of the PA/NY border and can assure you that not many cigarettes are sold in Jamestown, New York these days, and somewhat less gasoline than there used to be (which is not to say that gas is particularly cheap in Warren County these days, but still about 12¢ / gal. cheaper than in Chautauqua County, NY. We've also got the Seneca Indian reservation nearby, which has never done a better business. Smokin' Joe recently traded up to a bigger Lincoln.
Posted by: Evan McElravy on January 20, 2003 12:07 AMA pack of cigs in New York City, thanks to Mayor Bloomberg, now goes for $7.50. They're even too expensive to bum any more. On the one hand I'm glad I quit; on the other I'm tempted to start again in protest.
Posted by: Aaron Haspel on January 20, 2003 09:58 AMSorry to pick nits, but I think "economic research" would be a better fit for your title. Econometics is the statistical analysis of economic data and your reportage of that I-81 stop was more anecdotal that statistical.
Keep up the good work, sir.
Posted by: Mark Byron on January 21, 2003 06:40 AMSo three's not a number? I had to count those smoke shops!
Posted by: Dr. Weevil on January 21, 2003 06:53 AM