A bid to overturn Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour's veto of a bill that would have raised the state's tobacco tax fell four votes short, the Associated Press reported March 30.

The Mississippi Senate voted 29-20 to overturn the veto, falling short of the necessary two-thirds majority. The measure would have halved the state's 7-percent grocery tax while raising the tobacco tax from 18 cents per pack to 80 cents this year, and to $1 per pack next year.

Barbour termed the plan a "risky tax swap."

"The people lost today," said Lt. Gov. Amy Tuck, adding: "Hopefully, the people across this state will encourage (lawmakers) to vote for this measure" in 2007.

An attempted override of Barbour's veto of a similar bill also failed last week.

Some opponents of the bill said the measure was flawed and said more research is needed on tax collections in the state. Others questioned an immunity provision for tobacco companies included in the legislation.