A student recently wrote a letter to the editor regarding the proposed tobacco tax increase (“GSB resolution did nothing for students,” Jan. 25). She claimed the only reason the Government of the Student Body is supporting the state legislation is because the Board of Regents is supporting it, and that the GSB executive is acting without student support. I would like to take this opportunity to discuss the assertions she made and explain why GSB is supporting the tobacco tax increase.

The first university in the state to take action on the tobacco tax was the University of Northern Iowa. Its senate passed a resolution in support of it, and soon thereafter the GSB Senate passed a resolution in support of it. Last semester, after Iowa State, Northern Iowa and the University of Iowa had endorsed the tobacco tax increase, all three student government presidents asked the Board of Regents to support the tax increase. The Board of Regents voted unanimously to endorse it.

With regard to the allegation that the GSB executive is not acting with student support, President Angela Groh and Vice President Christopher Deal did not actively pursue the tobacco tax increase until after the ISU Senate passed a resolution in support of it. The senate represents the voice of the student body. It is the job of each senator to receive input from his or her constituents before voting on important issues such as the tobacco tax increase. Therefore, when the senate passed a resolution in support of the tobacco tax increase, it gave the GSB executive the mandate to pursue the issue.

There are several reasons why the tobacco tax increase is an extremely important issue for ISU students. The primary purpose of the tobacco tax initiative is to save lives. Each year, tobacco-related diseases claim the lives of 4,400 and second-hand smoke kills 500 Iowans each year. Students that work in restaurants or bars are constantly exposed to second-hand smoke. More importantly, students in Iowa have a vested interest in the health of Iowa citizens. 71.1 percent of ISU students are from the state of Iowa, and many students wish to remain in the state upon graduation. Passing the $1 tobacco tax increase will not only benefit the health of current ISU students, but it will also ensure that Iowa is a healthy state for its citizens for years to come.

Clark Richardson

Director of government relations

Government of the Student Body