iradiophilly | News - Philly $2 Cigarette Tax Starts; Abington Red Light Cameras; 2-year-old Shoots Himself in Delaware

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Philly $2 Cigarette Tax Starts; Abington Red Light Cameras; 2-year-old Shoots Himself in Delaware

by: iradioal - Philadelphia, PA
started: 10/01/14 3:25 am | updated: 10/01/14 3:25 am

Philadelphia's new $2-per-pack cigarette tax starts on October 1st. Officials are hoping that the new tax will bring in tens of millions of dollars in 'new' money for the budget weary Philadelphia School District. It will have to be put into practice to be seen but the new tax could affect smoker's habits in large enough ways that cut into its expected collections. Will you smoke less or be likely to quit due to the new cost of a pack? How about traveling to the nearest suburban Wawa to buy a carton for a huge discount over inner city cigs? Today, Controller Alan Butkovitz raised similar concerns. The city already has a tax on other tobacco products such as cigars and chew enacted in 2010. After steady increases the first few years, there was an 11% drop in collections from fiscal year 2013, $728,000, to 2014, $650,000. Are people becoming healthier or are they getting their product elsewhere? (people do still smoke in NYC where packs are $13)

Abington Township's Red Light Camera program is ready to hand out real fines. The cameras have been set up and operational at three intersections in the township for the past 60 days and until today they have been sending out 'warnings' to drivers. During that warning period 694 warnings have been issued for running red lights. Starting October 1st violators will receive a $100 fine in the mail. They will not get points on their license. The lights are set up at Old York and Old Welsh Roads, Old York and Susquehanna Roads, and Moreland and Fitzwatertown Roads. Abington does not many revenue from the cameras, the money from the tickets goes to pay for the system.

A two-year-old boy is in critical condition after shooting himself in the head inside his home Tuesday morning in Delaware. It happened around 10 a.m. on Cliffside Court at the Valley Run Apartments in Claymont, Delaware. New Castle County Police were called to the scene of a report that a child accidentally shot himself. CPR was performed on the boy at scene and he was flown to Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in critical condition. The boy and his mother were the only two home at the time. Police are trying to determine how the child got his hands on the gun, where it was being kept, and how much supervision he was being given.

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