By Patrick Crowley
The Cincinnati Enquirer

On the eve of Kentucky's burley tobacco markets opening day on Monday, a $350 million state budget shortfall has again spurred talk of an increase in the tax on cigarettes.

But raising the price of cigarettes in a state where burley tobacco is a $1 billion annual cash crop raised in 119 of 120 counties and where smoking is popular will be a difficult fight in the state capitol.

Kentucky has the second-lowest cigarette tax in the nation at 3 cents a pack. Still, finding 51 state House members and 20 senators to back an increase may not be possible, said Sen. Jack Westwood, R-Erlanger.

Taxes on cigarettes nationally range from $1.50 a pack in New York to 2.5 cents in Virginia. In Ohio, the tax was increased this year to 55 cents.

House Majority Floor Leader Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, widely viewed as Frankfort's most powerful lawmaker, recently proposed raising the cigarette tax by 15 cents a pack to fund a new state police agency.

"I don't know if you would find a whole lot of support for it," said Mr. Westwood, who has pledged not to raise taxes. "You're not only talking about raising taxes, which a lot of legislators are not going to support, but you're talking about raising taxes on tobacco."

E-mail pcrowley@enquirer.com