Amid reports that Gov. Jim Pillen is threatening a special session of the Legislature if needed to pass his plan for major property tax relief, one key part of that plan continues to run into roadblocks.

Pillen wants to hike the state’s cigarette tax, in a big, big way.

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There’s not much, if any, debate on the health hazards of smoking.

But that’s not the case when it comes to taxing cigarettes.

Gov. Jim Pillen entered office with the goal of “cutting taxes”, it says so on the front page of his website.

But not when it comes to those cigarettes.

Gov. Jim Pillen, Nebraska (R): “We can add $2.00. We charge 64-cents. If we charge $2.64 that gets us to number 14 in the country on taxing cigarettes.”

But Pillen is getting pushback from his own side.

Conservative groups, including Americans for Prosperity and the Platte institute opposing the hike.

According to the Platte, a steep increase in the cigarette tax would “hurt lower income smokers, harm licensed retailers, spur increased law enforcement expenditures,” and will prove unreliable in cutting property taxes.

CDC anti-cigarette ad: “I was so addicted to nicotine.”

But there's no mention of health issues.

CDC anti-cigarette ad: “I quit smoking. I became more conscious of how valuable and precious life is. I'm not going to increase my odds of ever having another stroke. Smoking is the worst thing I've ever done."

Gov. Jim Pillen: “I’m about health care. I'm about improving health care in Nebraska. So, I'm a big advocate of taxing tobacco it will raise $120- $130 million more for property tax relief.”

There’s already talk inside the Capitol of Pillen’s 2-dollar a pack tax dropping, but that only cuts into the money needed to pay for his promised 40 percent property tax cut.