Colorado Balks At Returning Pot Tax To Public

[Jacob Redmond]

The state of Colorado is legally obligated to return a portion of the excess tax revenue generated by legal marijuana sales, but now, state legislatures are balking at the rule.

Intended as a check against excess government taxation, the Colorado state constitution puts a cap on the amount of tax revenue that can be generated before some of it must be returned to the public.

One year after the state began selling marijuana for recreational and medicinal purposes, the state has raised over $50 million in tax revenue.

Now that the state government already possesses the excess tax revenue, however, elected officials belonging to Democratic and Republican parties want the state to keep the cash.

"I think it's appropriate that we keep the money for marijuana that the voters said that we should," said Republican Senate President Bill Cadman. "This is a little bit of a different animal. There's a struggle on this one," added Sen. Kevin Grantham, one of the Republican budget writers.

When the legislature first legalized the drug, it was assured that enforcing the new law would not cost the state any additional money and that tax revenue from marijuana sales would offset all associated costs.

Lawmakers say they want to put the additional revenue into drug education and police training. Though according to the Denver police chief, "everything is fine" one year after the state's legalization efforts.

News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Colorado Balks at Returning Surplus Pot Tax to the Public | Big Think
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[Radogast]

I think they should use the money to buy and distribute marijuana to residents who can't afford it.
It would give Fox news a collective aneurysm!

 

[Gazzatron]

If the government had said in the beginning that they would keep 100% of the tax revenue, i doubt anyone would have objected...
I know if they went the same way as Colorado, in New Zealand and Australia then I would have no objections whatsoever!!! Ha

 

[J9BLACK]

In csae after case the hippies have been right all along. You, Radogast and I, having never met have sat across a plume of smoke and said, "Shit, you know how much money the government could make if it only legalized it?"

We were right all along.

WHAT THEY SHOULD DO WITH THAT MONEY IS RESTORATIVE JUSTICE FOR THOSE IN PRISON FOR DRUG ONLY OFFENSES..

 

[J9BLACK]

In csae after case the hippies have been right all along. You, Radogast and I, having never met have sat across a plume of smoke and said, "Shit, you know how much money the government could make if it only legalized it?"

We were right all along.

WHAT THEY SHOULD DO WITH THAT MONEY IS RESTORATIVE JUSTICE FOR THOSE IN PRISON FOR DRUG ONLY OFFENSES..

 

[Radogast]

In"]

In

csae after case the hippies have been right all along. You, Radogast and I, having never met have sat across a plume of smoke and said, "Shit, you know how much money the government could make if it only legalized it?"

We were right all along.

WHAT THEY SHOULD DO WITH THAT MONEY IS RESTORATIVE JUSTICE FOR THOSE IN PRISON FOR DRUG ONLY OFFENSES..

Not just hippies. I remember multiple interviews in the 1980s on McNeil Lehrer Newshour where William F Buckley argued for legalization of marijuana.
for the young folks, William F Buckley was the quintessential conservative apologist who inspired folks like Ronald Reagan.

 

[420 Motoco]

I think they should use the money to buy and distribute marijuana to residents who can't afford it.
It would give Fox news a collective aneurysm!

Great post Brother! The poor and needy are always overlooked. Our government helps bail out other nations without thought to our own country and our citizens. Sad state of affairs.