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Have you ever really thought about the money made from legal marijuana?
This is an interesting topic. We all know recreational marijuana is legal in four states, Colorado, Washington, Oregon and Alaska and Washington, DC now. I almost have to include Delaware because they recently voted to decriminalize the private use of marijuana up to an ounce by getting rid of penalties for that amount and replacing it with a civil fine. I guess that means you can still be made to pay a price in Delaware if you get caught with an ounce of pot or less, it just won't be a crime anymore.
We all know medical marijuana is legal in 23 states. Interestingly the Governor of Georgia recently signed a bill making up to 20 ounces of marijuana oil legal, but medical marijuana itself is still illegal.
Well, what does the future hold? Two days ago Ohio voted down the legalization of recreational marijuana by a 2:1 ratio (65% vs. 35%). You'd think that shows a strong anti-marijuana bias. Not really. The main reason they voted it down was kinda like a veto by the people because, had it passed, there would be only a handful of people allowed to grow all the marijuana and become millionaires in the process. As a matter of fact, these people ponied up millions of dollars to get the thing on the ballot. Ohioans actually like the idea of legalized recreational marijuana. They don't like the idea of what was called "a monopoly" of people making all the profit with the state then making revenue from the taxation of pot.
The state of Colorado passed measure BB two days ago. Thank the FSM my home state residents are a sane group. What dose measure BB do. It does what the original intention of passing legal recreational marijuana was supposed to do. The money generated by taxes was to go to public schools and health care and infrastructure. That's how it was sold as a good thing to do in the first place.
The amount of money gotten in taxes from pot sales in Colorado was almost $50,000,000 in the first year (2014) and looks to more than double that this year. But the Republicans threw a fly in the ointment. Here's what happened. Years ago in California a man named Howard Jarvis got Proposition 13 passed which put a stranglehold on money the state could collect from property taxes which primarily paid for public schools, medical care and infrastructure. This resulted in a complete reversal of what was the best public school system in the country. Residents could all go to public colleges for very little because that was supported by property taxes and considered to be a right of residents. Public schools in California went from #1 in terms of money spent per student down to 50th. http://patch.com/...
Howard Jarvis moved to Colorado Springs and got a similar but even more draconian law passed in Colorado called the Tabor Act, which is an amendment to Colorado's constitution. Blockquotes below are from wikipedia.
In 1992, the voters of the state approved a measure which amended Article X of the Colorado Constitution that restricts revenues for all levels of government (state, local, and schools).[2] Under TABOR, state and local governments cannot raise tax rates without voter approval and cannot spend revenues collected under existing tax rates without voter approval if revenues grow faster than the rate of inflation and population growth.[2] Revenue in excess of the TABOR limit, commonly referred to as the "TABOR surplus", must be refunded to taxpayers, unless voters approve a revenue change as an offset in a referendum
The problem with this is the state is crumbling because it can't ever get higher revenues for the future that aren't tied to the rate of inflation and population increase, meaning there can actually never be an intrinsic increase in spending since 1992 unless voters vote for it. But there is another part of it which literally causes an erosion over time called the "racket down effect."
The allowance for spending to grow at the rate of inflation plus population growth means that inflation-adjusted per capita spending generally did not decrease. However, spending growth could be interrupted due to an economic recession, in which case inflation-adjusted per capita spending did decrease—and TABOR did not permit inflation-adjusted per capita spending to return to its pre-recession level. This was known as the "ratchet-down effect."
A four year old child could tell you the long term result of this kinda of policy. Eventually there would be no money to run the government or provide anything for the good of the public, which is exactly what Republicans want all across the land. But the voters did vote for an increase in revenue collection for Colorado to pay for new spending for the public good. It was one of the main reasons recreational marijuana was passed = for the increased revenue.
Republicans sited the Tabor Act once the money started rolling in. At first they wanted the tax rate to decrease primarily for the wealthy and corporations because the state was clearly defying the Tabor Act by collecting excess revenue, right. That didn't fly. They said then all Colorado residents should get a refund check in the mail. But wait a minute. The residents had already voted to bypass the Tabor Act as the Colorado constitution allows for, right?
To make it perfectly clear what the intention of Coloradans truly is, Measure BB was put on the ballot on Tuesday essentially having the residents of Colorado vote a second time for what they'd previously voted for. It passed easily! I salute you Colorado residents. You make me proud.
WELL, what does this mean for California and other states that may pass legal recreational marijuana? California has a plan much like Ohio did that would allow only a very small handful of people to grow marijuana thus becoming gazillionaires themselves while the state got tax revenue from pot sales which it currently does not. In California the plan is that every single plant and every single seed must be tracked. Do you think the residents of California will revolt against this plan just as Ohio just did two days ago? Personally I hope so. I know California must reign in pot growing, but I really am against not allowing anyone but a tiny handful of people to grow it and get uber rich because lets face it, these folks are already very rich and thus can afford to spend the big bucks to completely control marijuana production and distribution.
Californians had a chance to vote for legal marijuana a few years ago. The public was in favor of it. In the end it lost because pot growers put on a valiant effort to thwart it by mom and pop growers because they didn't want to have their income stream messed up. And lets be honest. The advancement of marijuana strains for both recreational and medical reasons have all come from regular growers, not some corporate-type structure. Here's an article about this: http://www.latimes.com/...
I don't really know what will happen if California passes legal recreational marijuana because three laws have already been passed preemptively by the legislature and signed by Jerry Brown to allow for only a handful of folks to cash in should it pass. In a strange way I wonder if it matters because already the laws passed now cover medical marijuana which will be completely in the hands of just a few who will become millionaires. It's a done deal which will be phased in fully by 2018. Passing legal recreational marijuana will simply allow these handful of folks to become even richer. The state will benefit from increased tax income whatever happens.
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Saturday, Nov 14th
Florida Georgia Line Kos Meet-up in Valdosta, Georgia
Join us for a day of inspiration and encouragement aimed at registering voters ahead of the 2016 elections
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Florida Georgia Line Kos:
This group will serve as a gathering place for North Florida and South Georgia Daily Kos members and all others who are interested. Our focus, both online and with real life meet-ups, is sharing and organizing political activism; disseminating social, political and progressive issues; community building; and support and encouragement for our red state brothers and sisters. We will organize meet-ups in both the panhandle and eastern seaboard of our states as well as share information on events of interest in our areas in order to build a strong coalition dedicated to turning our states a more pleasant shade of blue.
TIME: 10:30-3:00 PM
LOCATION: Ole Times Country Buffet
1193 N St Augustine Rd • Valdosta, GA
ORGANIZER: Send JaxDem a kosmail to attend
RSVPs:
1. JaxDem
2. Vetwife
3. Vet - namvetkato
4. kay3295
5. Lily O Lady
6. PHScott
7. Nannyberry
8. nancyjones
9. susanala |
Maybees:
soaglow
pajoly
Josiah Bartlett
foresterbob
ProseAndThorn
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Latest diary: FL/GA Line Kossacks: Weekly Meet-Up Update
Saturday, Nov 14th
Baja Arizona Kossacks Meet-up
TIME: 5:00 PM
LOCATION: Zayna Mediterranean
4122 East Speedway Blvd • Tucson
ORGANIZER: Send Azazello a kosmail to attend
RSVPs:
1. Azazello
2. Mrs. Z
3. rasbobbo
4. elk18
5. DaNang65
6. ItsaMathJoke
7. Dave in AZ
8. cosmic debris
9. ramara
10. buddabelly
11. mscellanea
12. louisev
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Maybees:
AZ Sphinx Moth
Bisbonian
sneakers563
pineapple pow
Mother Mags
Mrs. Mags |
by Lenny Flank ♥ for Nashville KosKats
The Nashville KosKats welcomed Lenny Flank with his own personal pizza and T-shirt! You can read about it here and there's still time to recommend his diary!
L-R:ZenTrainer, Mr. Marykk, Marykk, JonSitzman and Lenny Flank
You can join Nashville KosKats by sending a Kosmail to ZenTrainer.
by John Crapper ♥ for Seattle & Puget Sound Kos
The Seattle & Puget Sound Kos group keeps their regular meeting schedule to continue bonding and keeping each other apprised of what they're working on locally.
L-R: doingbusinessas, Momomia and bleeding blue
L-R: TB Apollo, Mrs. Crapper and John Crapper
Please visit John Crapper's diary for many MORE photos! Enjoy! You can still REC it. You can join Seattle & Puget Sound Kos by sending a Kosmail to John Crapper.
Dallas Kossacks Round Up and Meet Up!
byAndyT ♥ for Dallas Kos
Andy T held another meet-up in Dallas and also listed some Bernie and Hillary events. Check his diary for deets. Also the next event has been announced for Oct. 24. See above in the roster of CUA events.
L-R: ?, Andy T, ?, ?, ?
Identities welcome by kosmail to navajo.
Please visit AndyT's diary. You can still REC it. You can join Dallas Kos by sending a Kosmail to AndyT.
by Chrislove ♥ for Houston Area Kossacks
Another Houston event! Great job, Chris. Photos below:
L-R: Chrislove, Delilah, scott5js, cosette & suesue
L-R: htowngenie, her son, Blood, JJR1971 and PIZZA!
You can join Houston Area Kossacks by sending a Kosmail to Chrislove.
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