ATLANTA - Cobb legislators are divided over a bill that would raise the state tax on cigarettes by a dollar per pack, from the current $0.37 to $1.37.

House Bill 39 is sponsored by Rep. Ron Stephens (R-Savannah), who says it would raise an estimated $350 million in new state taxes and attract another billion dollars in federal health care funds to Georgia. Stephens says Georgia's existing cigarette tax, the fifth lowest in the nation, generates about $237 million a year, but Georgia spends $537 million a year treating smoking-related illnesses in Medicaid patients alone. That means taxpayers are subsidizing the medical costs for smokers to the tune of $300 million a year. The last time the tobacco tax was raised was in 2003, when the state bumped it from $0.12 a pack to the current $0.37, he said.

Wellstar Health System supports the tax hike, taking out ads to urge voters to lobby their legislators in favor of the proposal.

Of Cobb's 14 state representatives, six say they support the tax increase. Those are Judy Manning (R-Marietta), Alisha Thomas Morgan (D-Austell), Sheila Jones (D-South Cobb), Terry Johnson (D-Marietta), Sharon Cooper (R-east Cobb) and Don Parsons (R-east Cobb).

Cooper, a registered nurse, speaks grimly of what smoking can do.

"I have held people's hands as they've died gasping for breath, and it's one of the most horrible deaths you can think of," she said.

Manning said the tax increase won't fill the budget shortfall, but it will help. Manning said while she is not a fan of raising taxes, smoking is a choice and Georgians can choose not to smoke, and not pay the tax.

Parsons said he supports the tax because the state's hospitals are going to take a significant financial hit from additional taxes or loss of their sales tax exemption.

"Yes, I support raising the cigarette tax to make it less difficult on our hospitals and all of us who need them," he said.

Jones said she is also supportive of the tax due to her concern about the proposed tax to be levied on hospitals to cover the state's budget shortfalls.

"I am alarmed by the number of health care employees (that) proposal may affect. While the increase of taxes should always be undertaken with great caution, raising the tobacco tax is a superior option, as well as having the beneficial effect of reducing the rate of smoking in Georgia," she said.

Three of Cobb's state representatives, Earl Ehrhart (R-Powder Springs), Ed Setzler (R-Acworth) and Matt Dollar (R-east Cobb), say they oppose the proposed cigarette tax increase. Ehrhart says it's not a dependable source of revenue since every time the tax is increased it brings in fewer dollars.

"It's a market-based equation. If you can buy it cheaper somewhere else, they will," Ehrhart said.

As for the health argument, Ehrhart said if the Legislature was truly interested in stopping teen smoking, it would have approved a bill he and state Sen. John Wiles (R-Kennesaw) pushed a decade ago that would have taken away a teen's driver's license for smoking.

Four Cobb state representatives say they haven't made up their minds about the bill, among them Rich Golick (R-Smyrna), Rob Teilhet (D-Smyrna), Pat Dooley (D-Marietta) and Don Wix (D-Mableton).

Dooley says while she's leaning in favor of the tax, she wants the General Assembly to examine the numerous tax exemptions given out first.

State Rep. Bobby Franklin (R-east Cobb) did not respond by press time.

Of Cobb's five state senators, three say they oppose the bill, among Judson Hill (R-east Cobb), John Wiles (R-Kennesaw) and Steve Thompson (D-Powder Springs).

"In this tough economic time for all Georgia citizens, I do not think tax increases of any kind are warranted," Wiles said.

"I believe that we must continue to reduce government spending and not attempt to increase revenues by general tax increases. I therefore do not plan to support a tax increase on cigarettes," Wiles said.

Hill said he would always oppose any legislation that increases taxes, while Doug Stoner (D-Smyrna) and Chip Rogers (R-North Cobb) say they're undecided about the bill.