Protesters Board Bus to Harrisburg to protest lack of approval for Cigarette tax

Two buses of protesters left Philadelphia for Harrisburg this morning to push for a cigarette tax and more education funding.

The protesters were from every part of Philadelphia, young and not so young and from many ethnic and social groups.

Although not a parent or a teacher, Tom Derr says he’s a concerned citizen worried about what the schools would do without the cigarette tax money.

“It’s unfortunate it comes to that because there are other alternatives that should have been looked at,” he said. “The shale tax on extraction for natural gas that’s a no brainier, it’s unfortunate that it comes to a sin tax to help kids.”

Roxy Barnaby of Public Citizens for Children and Youth organized the trip. She says they hope their protests are heard in the state capital.

“It is quite frustrating and what is most frustrating is that these 200,000 children are at the losing end of that battle,” Barnaby said. 

Mayor Michael Nutter says without the cigarette tax the schools in Philadelphia will not be able to open on time.