Grover Norquist and the "no tax hike" pledge

Lawmakers in Florida are trying to find a way to bridge a $3 billion budget shortfall, and the consensus at the point seems to be a sharp increase in the cigarette tax. The problem is that Governor Crist, the House speaker and the Senate pro tem, in addition to several dozen other lawmakers, have all signed a "no tax hike" pledge from the Americans for Tax Reform -- the organization created and run by Grover Norquist. The pledge requires its signers to "oppose and vote against any and all efforts to increase taxes." Six Arkansas legislators have signed it.

Several Florida legislators have contacted Norquist to ask if they can count some of the tax cuts they've made in recent sessions to offset this tax increase. "Nope," says Norquist. Others are trying to refer to the proposed tax as a "user fee" on an optional product. Good luck with that. Even Norquist says the "user fee" or "surcharge" language doesn't pass the laugh test. One legislator told the Miami Herald (off the record), “tell Grover Norquist to find us $2 billion and then I’ll worry about his freaking pledge.” Here's more.