Todd endorses big jump in cigarette tax

This from H-L:

University of Kentucky President Lee T. Todd Jr. on Wednesday offered the strongest pitch from higher education officials for a significant increase in the cigarette tax.

While university presidents, including Todd, have refrained in the past from publicly endorsing tax increases of any sort, Todd said a sharp increase is necessary not only for budget purposes but especially for health benefits.

"I have been willing to come out and support the cigarette tax. I've always wanted to do it for health reasons, now it's tied directly to education," Todd said at the Lexington-Fayette government center during Gov. Steve Beshear's latest public event about his plan to plug a $456.1 million state budget shortfall....