In its new budget proposal, the Ohio Senate has included an increase in the tax on other tobacco products, including cigars, from 17 percent to 22.5 percent of the wholesale price.

Combined with an increase in the cigarette tax from $1.25 to $1.65 per pack, the move is being seen as a way to offset a proposed decrease in the state’s personal income tax.

In February, Gov. John Kasich proposed an increase to 60% of the wholesale price, which would give Ohio one of the highest OTP taxes in the country. He also proposed a one dollar increase in the cigarette tax, raising it to $2.25 per pack.

Ohio has a June 30 deadline to have its next two-year budget passed.

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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.