Not All Can Have A Piece Of Pot Taxes In Colorado

[The General]

State and city governments have an opportunity to set the tone on how the massive bounty of revenue from marijuana taxes and fees are spent and it's important the process not become a feeding frenzy. The state is constitutionally mandated to spend the first $40 million of excise tax on school construction. And yet the state will bring in $134 million in taxes and fees for the next fiscal year that starts in July, according to a budget forecast from Gov. John Hickenlooper. Here sits a huge pot of unclaimed money and lots of hands out. How the government doles it out will be revealing, as there is much potential for dubious use.

Hickenlooper says he wants the money for programs that counter the potential negative impacts of marijuana legalization, and would spend $85 million over the next 18 months for youth marijuana-use prevention programs and substance abuse treatment. We don't argue against education programs to prevent marijuana use by youngsters. But those programs should be scientifically based and shown to work. There also should be oversight and follow-up to gauge their effectiveness. Some drug education efforts over the years have been notorious flops. It would be a shame if millions were siphoned into similarly pointless efforts.

The same goes for the funding of substance abuse programs. Denver's 3.5 percent tax on recreational pot has the potential to generate $4.5 million a year. Last year, Mayor Michael Hancock's administration presented council members with a proposal for spending those revenues, which will be taken up this spring, that included several dubious elements. The city said it could buy a "weed wagon" to patrol the streets, presumably looking for stoned revelers. It also suggested hiring 26 new officers and park rangers to clamp down on marijuana-related crimes as well as a new lawyer "to support the increased caseload" from marijuana prosecutions.

Why does policing legal marijuana require such a huge increase in law enforcement over illegal marijuana? The Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police, Inc., last week sent a letter to the governor, seeking 10 to 15 percent of the state pot revenues for a variety of programs – such as training officers to detect stoned drivers, purchasing "oral fluid testing" equipment to test people at auto checkpoints and training for officers on Colorado's marijuana code. At the very least, the state should take a careful look at how the chiefs justify such a large request before signing on.

News Moderator - The General @ 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: Denverpost.com
Author: The Denver Post Editorial Board
Contact: Contact Us - The Denver Post
Website: Not all can have a piece of pot taxes in Colorado - The Denver Post

 

[Kidkudro]

The only problems legal pot will cause are the ones created by government.

 

[BlueDuck]

You are spot on Kidkudro, these big plans for the tax money here reminds me of the big plans and promises to vote on the Texas lotteries was to, well they were going to use the lottery proceeds to improve schools, roads and bridges....oh my goodness the money was going to be such a great blessing....then when the bill was passed, everyone of those officials developed amnesia and guess what? It's been at lease ten years or more (lotteries hitting a half of billion) and the usual taxes for schools, roads and bridges are still imposed on the citizens of the big state of Texas!

 

[painkills2]

Next you're going to tell me that cigarette taxes don't go towards healthcare for poor kids...

I hope the State of Colorado remains transparent with legalization, including publishing the information on why, where, and how much in marijuana taxes is going to fund each program (whatever it is). I'm thinking that once the actions (and antics) of anti-drug groups and programs come to light through this public process, then more of the public will be shown the waste of time and money that these groups really represent.

 

[CO Finest]

We will see how much you can trust where they say the money will go. I say that again. When Colorado raised our cigarette tax from 40% too 80% and cigar,RYO and chew tax from 20% too 40% they said ohh we will put some of that money to schools. NOPE it went into the general fund and all got miss spent. Now How about the extra car registration fee that was suppose to fix the roads. The first six months they had work on the roads theeeeen nothing. Now wheres that extra money going. The new marijuana tax is just another tax they can miss spend and get away with doing what they want with while not being held accountable for when miss spent. Sorry for the rant but I have been in the tobacco world for 18 years and owned two cigar shops so I have been threw this tax greed money crap before.

 

[painkills2]

Since taxes can go towards things that actually help a community, I don't mind taxes. Can't the law specifically state that marijuana taxes are not allowed to be included in the general fund?

 

[RogerRabbit]

This will be an opportunity for the state of Colorado to provide much needed funds for the education of their children. I personally feel that the amount of money to be afforded the department of education should be at the rate of 40% (or more) rather than a $40 million cap. Every agency, town and county government will be wanting to root their way to the feeding trough and due diligence should be exercised to ensure that these funds are spent wisely and as intended.

 

[Medicalmagic]

Why is it that state and local governments are hellbent on spending every dime of revenue? Does the idea of a rainy day surplus for unseen expenditures scare politicians? Lastly, you have to wonder why legalization necessitates an increase in the number of police. One would think if a product is legalized the need for police surveillance would diminish. The last thing we need is a larger police state.

The notion of adding to the number of police as a result of legalization makes as much sense as increasing the amount of birth control medications upon learning that you're pregnant.