Congrats to New York.  It’s legislature just passed and Governor Paterson signed a new law that imposes a tax increase on cigarettes of $1.60 per pack.  People who purchase cigarettes in New York outside New York City will now pay $4.35 in taxes for every pack.  Those who buy cigarettes in New York City will pay total state and local taxes of $5.85 per pack.  The price of a pack of cigarettes purchased in New York now exceeds $10.  The brain trust behind the new tax increase says that NY cigarette taxes will produce $440 million in revenue.  Taxes were also increased on snuff ($.96/ounce to $2/ounce) and wholesale cigars (46% to 75%).