OLYMPIA -- Smokers should expect to pay another $1 for a pack of cigarettes soon.

The Senate just passed a tax hike for cigarettes as the Legislature moves towards adjournment. It would raise an estimated $100 million in new tax revenue, an amount that's being factored into the new taxes Democrats are raising to come with $800 million in new revenue as part of the "balanced solution" to the state's $2.8 billion budget hole.

The House has already passed higher cigarette taxes.

The Senate vote was 28-17. To see the roll call, go inside the blog.

ESHB 2493

Cigarette & tobacco taxation

Senate vote on 3rd Reading & Final Passage as Amended by the Senate

4/12/2010

Yeas: 28   Nays: 17   Absent: 0   Excused: 4

Voting Yea:  Senators Berkey, Brown, Eide, Fairley, Franklin, Fraser, Gordon, Hargrove, Hatfield, Haugen, Hobbs, Jacobsen, Kastama, Kauffman, Keiser, Kilmer, Kline, Kohl-Welles, Marr, McAuliffe, McDermott, Murray, Oemig, Prentice, Ranker, Regala, Rockefeller, and Tom
Voting Nay:  Senators Becker, Benton, Brandland, Carrell, Hewitt, Honeyford, King, Morton, Parlette, Pflug, Pridemore, Roach, Schoesler, Sheldon, Shin, Swecker, and Zarelli
Absent:  
Excused:  Senators Delvin, Holmquist, McCaslin, and Stevens

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