COLUMBIA (AP) -- South Carolina legislators are expected to consider Gov. Mark Sanford's veto of a 50 cent increase in the nation's lowest cigarette tax.
The House has the veto on its calendar Wednesday, a day after the Republican governor rejected the bill to raise the 7 cents per pack tax.
A two-thirds vote is required in the House and Senate to override the veto.
Sanford opposes raising the cigarette tax unless some other tax is decreased.
Legislators want to use nearly $125 million from the higher tax to cover the loss of federal bailout cash next year in Medicaid programs for the elderly, disabled and poor. The measure also would generate $5 million each for cancer research and efforts to curb smoking and $1 million for agriculture marketing.
(Copyright ©2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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