Gov. George W. Bush's spokeswoman said he was disappointed that condoms were included Tuesday in the list of over-the-counter medical products that will be exempt from Texas sales taxes beginning next month.
The Republican presidential candidate, who has said abstinence should be promoted to teen-agers, proposed the tax break during his re-election campaign in 1998 and didn't want it to cover condoms, said his spokeswoman, Linda Edwards.
But state Comptroller Carole Keeton Rylander said Tuesday she had no choice but to list condoms as a product that will be exempt from the 6.25 percent state sales tax and local sales taxes beginning April 1.
The Legislature specified that the tax break should cover any product that has a National Drug Code number issued by the Food and Drug Administration and is used to diagnose, treat or prevent disease and suffering.
"Governor Bush never wanted condoms to be exempt," Edwards said. "A condom is not a drug or medicine, although it does fall under the FDA's National Drug Code."
Other over-the-counter items to be exempted include allergy products, antacids, cold remedies and eye care products. That should save Texans $160 million in 2001, Rylander said, adding that prescription drugs have been exempt from the state sales tax since it was enacted in 1961.
But conservative groups were upset with the decision to essentially reduce the price of condoms.
"This is a terrible idea. The Legislature did not intend for that tax exemption to be promoting promiscuity, yet that's exactly what it's doing,'' said Cathie Adams, president of the Texas Eagle Forum.
Peggy Romberg of the Texas Family Planning Association countered: ``It's unfortunate that extremist groups have been successful in distracting people like the governor from what should be the main concern of the state - public health and well-being of its citizens.''
AP-NY-03-21-00 1832EST
Copyright 2000 The Associated Press. \n-- \n--
"Love is the law, love under will." \n-Ben Burch \[email protected]
Necessity is the excuse for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of the tyrant and the creed of the slave.
-- William Pitt, 1763
