With revenue that rivals Iceland’s gross domestic product, Philip Morris contributed $632 million to Virginia’s economy through employee wages alone in 2007 and paid $87.1 million in payroll, property, and corporate taxes.

Now, Gov. Tim Kaine is leading an aggressive campaign to promote public health, perhaps at the expense of a homegrown industry that until last week was considered almost invulnerable.

But many lawmakers and their constituents have been wary of imposing taxes or smoking bans. Mindful of the jobs and state revenue generated by Philip Morris, they warn against doing anything to hurt one of the commonwealth’s most lucrative businesses.

[Read](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/07/AR2009020701979.html?wpisrc=newsletter# “Read the Article”) (Washington Post)