FRANKFORT, Ky. — As Kentucky lawmakers work to craft a two-year budget it likely will not have an extra cigarette tax included. 

Gov. Andy Beshear, D-Kentucky, proposed a ten-cent cigarette tax increase in his recommended budget, along with a ten-cent vaping and other tobacco product increase it was estimated to bring in an extra $94 million. 

House Budget Chair Steven Rudy, R-Paducah, told reporters Tuesday the support is not there among some members in his caucus. 

“The members I’ve spoken to aren’t really interested in doing another round of cigarette taxes but they have made it clear if we are going to do it we might as well go after more money than that,” Rudy said. “But we did that cigarette tax pretty sizable increase two years ago and I don’t know we will see where the will of the caucus is on that going forward but we are not predicting our document on any cigarette revenue.” 

During the 2018 budget lawmakers increased the excise tax on cigarettes by fifty cents but left out vaping products and other tobacco products. Rudy said lawmakers will likely increase the tax on vaping products and other tobacco products but at a higher level than proposed by Beshear. 

House Bill 32 filed by Rep. Jerry Miller, R-Louisville, brings the excise tax of those products to the same as the cigarette tax and is estimated to generate $94.1 million over two years. 

Rudy says they will not base the budget on new revenue sources including the currently stalled sports betting bill which was estimated to bring about $20 million annually.

“As far as other revenue enhancements out there I’m not sure where the will of the members are but we are trying to predicate the revenue on the forecasted revenue,” he said. 

Whether lawmakers will include the $2,000 pay increase for Kentucky public school teachers is still up in the air. 

“It’s still an if, I think we are going to continue to finalize and make the numbers work and if we can make the numbers work we will do what we can,” Rudy said. 

Rudy says the House is aiming to vote on the Executive Branch budget by next week.