By WGGB Staff

AGAWAM, Mass. (WGGB) -- Gov. Deval Patrick made a trip to Agawam Monday, while supporters and detractors of the budget proposal he unveiled Wednesday, which includes new fees and taxes, spoke out around the region.

Items being eyed for new taxes in the $28 billion budget include soda, candy, cigars and smokeless tobacco, as well as car insurance. The budget would impose the state's 6.25 percent sales tax on candy and soda, while a surcharge would be tacked on to car insurance premiums. The state's bottle deposit law would also be extended to include plastic water and juice bottles in the governor's proposed budget.

According to the governor's administration, the additional revenues would help pay for police training, green initiatives and health care.

"We have a lot of needs out there," said Patrick Monday.

However, some business owners that deal in the taxed items, such as the owner of a small cigar shop in East Longmeadow, said the added taxes would likely put him out of business. The owner said he thought the added taxes were counter to recent comments from Democratic leaders about helping small businesses overcome the recession.

State Rep. Ben Swan, D-Springfield, said Monday he'd likely support the tax on tobacco, candy and soda, as it would help fight obesity and curb rising health care costs.