There won’t be a cigar tax increase in Virginia this year, as the state House Committee on Finance recommended the bill be laid on the table during a voice vote on Wednesday, effectively bringing the proposal to an end.

House Bill 1590, which was filed by Rep. K. Rob Krupicka (D-45) sought an increase in the tax rate on tobacco products other than cigarettes, moist snuff and loose leaf tobacco from 10% of the wholesale price to 60%. At the register, a cigar with an MSRP of $9.50, would go from costing an estimated $10.45 to an estimated $15.20, before sales tax.

The bill also wanted to increase the tax on loose leaf tobacco, proposing an increase from $0.21 to $1.26 for each loose leaf tobacco single-unit; $0.40 to $2.40 for each loose leaf tobacco half pound-unit; and from $0.70 to $4.20 for each loose leaf tobacco pound-unit. For any other unit, pouch, or package of loose leaf tobacco, the tax would have been by net weight and increased from $0.21 to $1.26 per unit, pouch, or package plus $1.26 for each increment of 4 ounces or portion thereof that the loose leaf tobacco exceeds 16 ounces, an increase from $0.21.

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Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for MLB.com, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.