Texans Investing In Healthy Families
Campaign to raise the cigarette tax

BACKGROUND
Jim Arnold & Associates was hired to manage a coalition of non-profit organizations whose goal was to increase the cigarette tax by $1.00 per pack to decrease youth smoking. The coalition consisted of the Texas affiliates of American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, American Lung Association, the Texas PTA, the national Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, and The Lance Armstrong Foundation.

The cigarette tax, at .41 per pack, had not been raised since 1990.

CHALLENGE
The challenge was to convince a Republican majority legislature, many of whom had run on a promise of no new taxes, that the cigarette tax was one that the public supported and that they could support the tax without repercussions at the polls.

ACTION PLAN
Jim Arnold & Associates led a team of lobbyists, communications specialists, and grassroots groups, and developed a plan consisting of the following:

• Development of strategy and message
• Analysis and utilization of statewide polling
• Activation of grassroots communication
• Coordination of lobby team
• Coordination of press conferences
• Coordination of public testimony before legislative committees
• Creation, production and distribution of mailings and fact sheets to members
  of the legislature
• Creation and placement of print and radio advertising
• Coordination of editorial board meetings across the state by coalition board
  members
• Production of op-ed pieces and letters to the editor for opinion leaders

RESULTS
On May 15, 2006 the Texas Legislature passed a $1.00 cigarette tax increase as part of a comprehensive education finance reform package.