Gov. Beebe came out swinging at this morning’s rally for his proposed cigarette tax increase to raise $88 million to fund a statewide trauma system and other programs, suggesting he was staking his political career on passage of the tax.

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“Will we burn some bridges? Yes. Will we make people mad? Yes,” he said. But, he declared, was going to do the right thing.

An estimated 500 people crammed into a small auditorium and its hallway at Arkansas Children’s Hospital to hear Beebe and the legislative leadership — House Speaker Robbie Wills and Senate President Bob Johnson — issue what amounted to a battle cry against the tobacco lobbyists, who’ve been coming down hard on the membership and robo calling smokers to stop the 56 cents-per-pack tax.

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House Bill 1204 to fund the health programs was introduced this morning; Wills said he had more than 24 co-sponsors. It will take three-fourths of the House and three-fourths of the Senate to pass the bill.

“Do you know how hard it is to get [those votes]?” Beebe asked the crowd. It was a rhetorical question.

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— Leslie Newell Peacock

John Williams has more on the Legislative Beat.

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