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TOBACCO OUTLET BUSINESS
MAY/JUNE 2012
unified single industry voice to protect
the premium cigar and pipe industry.
Don’t be a coat-tailer.”
IPCPR’s
members
receive
considerable benefits, including free
admission to the annual IPCPR
trade show, as well as electronic
and print communications alerting
them to current legislative issues and
information on ways to contact elected
officials and lend their voices to the
effort. The IPCPR will even coach
members who wish to meet with their
representatives or testify on behalf of
the industry in Washington D.C. or
in their state capitol. “We don’t just
throw you into a congressman’s office,”
says Spann. “We train you on the
protocol and on who you are dealing
with.We tell you what committees this
person is on, what their voting record
is and what communication points will
resonate with him or her. If you are a
novice, we help you to understand the
process by pairing you with people who
have done it before.”
The voices of small business owners
are the most effective tool the industry
and, ultimately, tobacco manufacturers
and retailers have, adds Spann. “The
most important thing you can do is
to get involved. The dues are nominal
and the benefits are substantial. At the
end of the day, you have to ask yourself,
how much money is too much money
to spend to keep yourself from being
regulated or taxed out of business? If
you are going to lose your livelihood or
have the potential to do that, you need
to get energized.”
TOB
For more on how retailers can
help support the industry in edu-
cating legislators, read about the
efforts of Tinder Box’s Craig Cass
in Cigar Sense on p. 34.
What Bill Spann Wants You
to Know About the IPCPR
• By the end of this year, IPCPR will have spent an average of nearly
$800,000 each year for a decade on federal and state legislative matters,
exclusive of legislative staff salaries;
• The Cigar Association of America (CAA) used to be the only
organization with hired lobbyists in many states. From 2003-2008 (when
IPCPR’s own lobbying efforts began), IPCPR contributed $3,000,000 to
CAA. IPCPR still contributes $200,000 per year to CAA and $10,000
per year to the CAA Pipe Tobacco Council;
• From 2009-2011, IPCPR has fought for its members in several
particularly problematic states at a total cost of $567,500. In 2012, it has
budgeted $300,000 to continue these important state battles;
• Since 2007, IPCPR has spent $1,105,221 to retain federal lobbyists,
first working on SCHIP-related excise tax increases and presently, on
critical legislation to define premium cigars and exempt them from FDA
regulation;
• From 2009-2011, IPCPR spent $129,313 to retain FDA attorneys
and consultants to fight for you on SCHIP and H.R.1639/S.1461;
• From 2007-2011, legislative legal counsel expenditures totaled
$326,047;
• The 2012 IPCPR total legislative operating budget commits $1.16
million (exclusive of salaries and travel for retailer fly-ins to D.C.) for
continued work supporting its members and the entire premium cigar
and pipe industry, including:
$209,000 for federal and FDA lobbyists;
$300,000 for the association’s state lobby program;
• As part of IPCPR’s overall legislative operations, $116,000 goes to
additional legislative tools, including legislative information databases,
social/political networking, cigar caucus, events, and other resources;
• In January 2012, Christy Sammon joined IPCPR as senior director
of federal legislative affairs. Her job will be to work with D.C. federal
lobbyists, elected officials and staff, and FDA legal advisors, raise PAC
funds, and coordinate IPCPR’s overall federal legislative strategy; and
• Beginning last year, IPCPR and CRA combined federal lobbying
efforts. They are now equal partners—both fiscally and strategically—
promoting a unified industry vision.The result is an extremely powerful,
coordinated team of retailers, manufacturers and consumers.