THIS TAX
HURTS!
This tax hits Black communities hardest – raising costs and pushing people back to cigarettes.
The Letter from New York Clergy
Concerned Clergy of New York State and New York City
March 18, 2026
The Honorable Kathy Hochul
Governor of New York State
NYS Capitol Building
Albany, New York 12224
Dear Governor Hochul:
We write as Black pastors serving communities across New York State where cigarette smoking continues to take a devastating toll. We regularly counsel adults who want to quit but have not succeeded with traditional methods. For many, legal vaping products have been the first effective step away from cigarettes.
We are deeply concerned that the Executive Budget's proposed tax increases will undermine these efforts. Independent research shows these products are significantly less harmful than cigarettes and help adults quit smoking. Treating them the same as combustible tobacco removes a critical off-ramp from the most dangerous form of nicotine use.
These tax increases will disproportionately impact Black communities, which already face higher rates of smoking-related illness. Raising costs will not reduce use—it will push adults back to cigarettes or into unregulated markets, worsening existing disparities.
This will also function as a regressive tax, placing the greatest burden on working families while doing little to improve public health outcomes.
These proposals will also harm minority-owned small businesses that serve our communities. Higher taxes will drive customers to online and out-of-state sellers, reducing local revenue and threatening neighborhood retailers. This shifts economic activity away from Black communities and undermines small businesses already facing significant barriers.
As faith leaders, we believe policy must reflect truth, equity, and compassion. Protecting youth is essential—but it must not come at the expense of adults seeking to quit smoking. We respectfully urge you to reject these tax increases and pursue a more balanced approach that supports harm reduction and protects our communities.
Respectfully,
The Concerned Clergy of New York State and New York City
Bronx
Rev. James Duckett
Mott Ave Baptist Church
Brooklyn
Rev. Sam Nicholas
Evangelical Crusade Christian Crusade
Rev. Lawrence Ackers
Cornerstone Baptist Church
Rev. Rashid Moore
First Baptist Church of Crown Heights
Buffalo
Rev. Frank Bostic
Pilgrim Baptist Church
Rev. Julius Groomes
White Rock Baptist Church
Rev. Dr. Dennis Lee
Hopeful Baptist Church
Rev. Ulysees Wingo
Antioch Baptist Church
Rev. James Dubois
Jordan Grove Baptist Church
Queens
Rev. Dr. Patrick Young
First Baptist Church
Rev. Dr. Gilbert Pickett
Mount Horeb Baptist Church
Rev. Calvin Rice
New Jerusalem Baptist Church
Lackawanna
Rev. Keith Mobley
Mt. Olive Baptist Church
Rev. Jason Keith
Humboldt Baptist Church
Long Island
Rev. Dr. Donald Butler
Community Baptist Church
Bishop Phillip Elliot
Antioch Baptist Church
Manhattan
Rev. Dr. Carl L. Washington Jr
New Mt. Zion Baptist Church
Rev. Dr. Johnnie Green
Mt. Neboh Baptist Church
Rev. John Davis
First Baptist Church
Rev. Dr. Jesse Williams
Convent Ave
Rev. Dr. James Kilgore
Friendship Church
Rev. Dr. Rene Washington Gardner
Memorial Baptist Church
Rev. Gregory Meriweather
Mount Olivet Baptist Church
New Rochelle
Rev. H. Lee Jordan
Shiloh Baptist Church
Niagara Falls
Rev. George Madison
Mt. Zion
Rochester
Rev. Kito March
Aenon Baptist Church
Rev. James Cherry Jr
Antioch Baptist Church
Rockland
Rev. Carl Washington III
Pilgrim Baptist Church
Syracuse
Rev. Decarto Draper
Tucker Missionary BC
Bishop H. Bernard Alex
Victory Temple
Rev. Cyrus Thronton
Mount Olivet