Page 35 - TOB Magazine Jan/Feb 2013

80
TOBACCO OUTLET BUSINESS
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013
certain passage to defeat, illustrating the importance of voice in
the legislative process.
There’s a history lesson in this victory. Back in 1998,
Proposition 10, an initiative state constitutional amendment,
appeared in the California General Election. The official name
of the amendment was the “Children and Families’ First Act.”The
amendment proposed a 50-cent tax on a pack of cigarettes and
as much as a dollar on other tobacco products.The tax went into
effect January 1, 2009.
Back then, I remember having a de facto “Defeat ‘Prop 10’
Dinner” with Jon and Vaughn Boyd, owners of a Walnut Creek
tobacco shop, along with Charles Janigian, president of JMG,
International, a California tobacco distributor. The Boyds were
raising nickels, dimes and dollars from their customers to help
defeat the looming legislation. The industry fought hard to
defeat “Prop 10”, as it was popularly known. It passed with just
over 50 percent of the vote. Our industry needs more Jon and
Vaughn Boyds, evidence that “all politics is local.”
The difference between winning on Prop 29 and losing on
Prop 10 can be measured in inches not yards, driving home the
importance of the role played by organization, clear mission,
good execution, communication and logistics. To win these
contests, the troops—you the retailer and your customers—need
to become involved with your trade suppliers and associations.
Ultimately, you make the difference.
National Rifle Association members are passionate concerning
their constitutionally guaranteed right to own and bear arms.
You’ve heard the mantra; “You can take my gun…over my dead
body.” Individual rights advocates, who are not gun owners,
support the NRA as their implicit statement of citizens’ rights.
Take my legal product over my dead body. What about my
tobacco, a legal product?
Arthur Berberian stated that “We (the CDA) are committed to
protecting the rights of our member businesses to manufacture,
distribute and sell products legally in the state of California.” If
you wonder what that means and what the CDA does for you,
the answer can be found in the Prop 29 victory. They keep you
in business. TOB
Perez, Craig Johnson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Altria
Group Distribution Company; Dennis Loper, Executive Director of the
California Distributors Association (center of photograph); Berberian,
Alexandra Berberian; Shaun Potts, representing The Hershey Company
Arthur and Alexandria Berberian
Teresa and Randy Outlaw of
Swisher International; Arthur
Bernerian and Barry Walter of
Swisher International
Meghan Loper Golombek of
Capitol Strategies with Michael
Simon of Altria Group
Distribution Company
Marvin Sickman receiving the Lou
Gordon Humanitarian Award by
Lorillard Tobacco Company
Tom Sunderland of Lorillard Tobacco
Company, who presented the award
to Marvin Sickman