Wash. lawmakers already looking to tap marijuana revenue
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - Washington state lawmakers are already starting to count on revenue from the legalization of marijuana, with the House approving a bill that would tap those tax dollars to expand early learning.
Before the House passed the bill on Wednesday night by a 59-38 margin, Rep. Ruth Kagi, D-Shoreline, said she couldn't think of a better use for the money. She argued that there was a clear nexus between helping children early in life and avoiding troubles later.
Marijuana remains illegal under federal law, and federal officials have not yet decided whether to try and block implementation of the legalization measure. Washington is moving ahead with plans to develop a network of state-licensed growers, processors and retailers.
Republican Rep. Gary Alexander said he supports early education but would prefer to see the money come into the general fund and then be prioritized along with all other expenses. He suspected that early learning would be very strong on those priority lists but said it wasn't right to dedicate one revenue stream to that plan.
"We don't even know what that amount of money is," Alexander said. "It's too early to be dedicating something when we don't really know what the source of (the) dollars is or how much we have to work with."
If the legal marijuana system does get implemented, the state stands to bring in hefty new tax revenues. The product would be taxed heavily, with analysts estimating that a legal pot market could bring Washington hundreds of millions of dollars a year in new money.
Kagi's proposal is expected to cost more than $200 million per year by the 2017-2019 biennium.
The bill now goes to the state Senate.
Before the House passed the bill on Wednesday night by a 59-38 margin, Rep. Ruth Kagi, D-Shoreline, said she couldn't think of a better use for the money. She argued that there was a clear nexus between helping children early in life and avoiding troubles later.
Marijuana remains illegal under federal law, and federal officials have not yet decided whether to try and block implementation of the legalization measure. Washington is moving ahead with plans to develop a network of state-licensed growers, processors and retailers.
Republican Rep. Gary Alexander said he supports early education but would prefer to see the money come into the general fund and then be prioritized along with all other expenses. He suspected that early learning would be very strong on those priority lists but said it wasn't right to dedicate one revenue stream to that plan.
"We don't even know what that amount of money is," Alexander said. "It's too early to be dedicating something when we don't really know what the source of (the) dollars is or how much we have to work with."
If the legal marijuana system does get implemented, the state stands to bring in hefty new tax revenues. The product would be taxed heavily, with analysts estimating that a legal pot market could bring Washington hundreds of millions of dollars a year in new money.
Kagi's proposal is expected to cost more than $200 million per year by the 2017-2019 biennium.
The bill now goes to the state Senate.
Counting your chickens before they hatch? Nothing new. We don't know how this will be sold. We don't know how much revenue it will generate. We don't know if the Feds will crack down Washington and Colorado for this.
They don't even have any money, or a plan, or anything and they are already counting their chickens and there aren't even any eggs yet.
I don't understand how they expect to make money off something that is quite easy to grow on your own.  Now that they have decriminalized it I would assume the fear of growing it has gone away and people that wouldn't in the past certainly will now.  It's any interesting experiment to say the least but as the old saying goes don't count your chickens before they hatch Washington.
@BodagrisI don't believe you are allowed to grow your own the way the Washington law is currently worded. It's much like liquor in that it is legal to consume but must be purchased from controlled inventories and regulated grow operations. The Colorado law is the same way.Â
And like Richard said, you can grow a lot of things at home but most people don't. If you do the math a lot of the items we buy at the grocery store every week are more expensive than pot. While it can grow like a weed, to do it properly takes a lot of time and knowledge, not to mention the cost of supplies. Most people won't go through more than an ounce or two in a year, not really worth investing in a grow operation.Also, its urban myth that it requires a lot to grow. Absolutely false. Most in that routine are large, commercial growers or hobbyists sucked in to "buying" the "next big thing".Â
Its a weed, do you have to go all out for dandelions? Cannabis requires less water and pesticides than most plants and will grow just about anywhere. You could grow on a porch for 1 summer and have more than enough for years!
@PhillyBuster
Colorado HAS a grow-at-home provision, unlike Washington.Â
I do believe there will be more growing than you think in WA. Somebody is going to skip the 25%% tax at each of the 3 tax stages.    Tomatoes are legal, but tomatoes don't give you a head change.
@Bodagris Its legal for me to grow tomatoes, but I still buy them every time I go to the store. I agree totally though I wouldn't try to even consider the proposed profits until you give it a go first.
You know Utah needs more tax money too, and Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia and Texas. Legalize marijuana like wine!
So will DHS issue seperate trail cards just for munchies?Â
This comment has been deleted
@feral Breastmilk is technically the 1st gateway drug.......
@feral Pretty sure the first drugs most Americans try are alcohol and tobacco, should those be illegal too? Keep in mind the fact that you can overdose and die from both of those, but not from pot.
Typical government.....counting their chickens before they've even hatched. Don'tcha just love it?
There we go, spending money they don't have and may never get. If they were being truthful, I would bet that they have already projected revenue and included it into their budget.
marijuana...the cause of America's next civil war. should be very interesting
@Phuzz Except one half won't fight because the will be busy playing Nintendo and munching on chips.
@Phuzz No, the cause of the next civil war is currently sitting in the White House.
Im looking to tap my bowl when its ashed
So is this going to signal that the state will resist strenuously the feds attempts to interfere with our children's well being?
Do it for the children!Â
Wrong guys, you tap a keg, not a plant!
@jpk But how many stoners will drown thinking that the beer tap is a bong and drown?
Tragic, no. Funny, yes.
@Mr. Carbon Footprint   Oh, come on. Haven't you ever heard of a "beer bong"?
@Mr. Carbon Footprint @jpk What do you mean "will drown" - that implies that millions of people aren't already using marijuana in this country.
Nice, spend the money before you have it, even with the risk of the feds blocking it, but I do find it ironic that they want to use the $ for early learning programs just so the kids can grow up and get stupid on pot once they're of legal age.
Ummm..... Â tax revenue = money
 legislators = always able and willing to spend (significantly more than is availible) afforementioned tax revenue....
and this is news why exactly?
Next you'll be telling me that some legislature wants to either create a new tax (fee, surcharge, assessment), or raise existing tax rates.... and I'll be equally as surprised.Â
The bureaucracy is going to end up costing more than the revenue it brings in.
Let's just hope they wait for those tax revenues to become reality, and not spend those funds before they are in the treasurey.
Why are they assuming their bad business model is actually going to bring in revenue? They had a chance to corner the market by lowering prices while raising quality. They are not only raising the prices on marijuana, they are also talking about controlling the THC content. Nobody wants to pay double the price for a bag of shwag. Good luck bringing in revenue.
@McDankens How's that working out, by the way? Are Oregon people going to Washington to buy weed, does the Washington weed suck, have the prices gone up or down, etc?
Obviously, I'm out of the loop.
A news article that would sell a lot of cookie ads would be one that charts the cost:quality weed matrix so every afternoon when the pot smokers wake up, they can check their investments over coffee and their bowl of Weedies.Â
I think the real money is in those fake-bomb-looking things for making oil. I saw one; it's 10 dollars of aluminum tube and a $1 stopper, selling for $60 at record stores and stuff.
By the way, I imagine it's going to be one hell of an interesting Rush concert at Clark County this summer.
Alright, I am dying to know, which one of you at K2 HQÂ has so many different "file photos" of pot?
We always know what the picture is going to be of, but it's never the same pic.
Suuuuuure it's a file photo...
@WhenCowsAttack I was thinking that too...!
@WhenCowsAttack I could probably find more but I'm getting the munchies
http://www.katu.com/politics/Colorado-scrambles-to-set-up-legal-marijuana-regulations-193942061.html
http://www.katu.com/politics/Idaho-officials-approve-anti-marijuana-resolution-192081481.html
Sounds like the politicians are counting their chickens before they hatch. Â So, when they spend the money before they have it, then what? Â They'll try to raise taxes and fees on something not even related to pay for promises they made to their special interest buddies. Â How anyone with half a brain can believe that potheads are going to pay taxes on something they can manufacture themselves without paying is beyond me. Â These guys have been growing their own for years and nothing is going to change that. Â Don't forget that most of these potheads are on some form of taxpayer subsidy, so they don't have an income from which to pay taxes in the first place.
@Shadow Kind of uninformed about all this really aren't you?
@ShadowI recommend you crawl out of your cave and actually speak with the people around you. If you don't realize that more than half the population of the US smokes pot and most of them are well respected throughout society you are oblivious to reality. You know why a lot of very smart people choose pot over alcohol? Because you can relax and enjoy yourself after work and not have a hang over the next day. If you don't believe pot smokers can be productive take a look at this article and then let us know what your teetotaling self has accomplished in life:
%s
This comment has been deleted
@Dr. Rawdog Hahaha!  You?  A conservative?  You're right -- that's just funny!  ;-)
@Dr. Rawdog Not sure how you're registered, but if walks like a duck and talks like a duck....
@Dr. Rawdog You mean the same 47% that cost your presidential nominee the election? Here's an idea, maybe you should start listening to them a bit more.
http://coedmagazine.com/2011/02/02/the-10-smartest-pot-smokers-on-the-planet-cool-enough-to-admit-it/
they think you are a goof how can you assume "potheads"are on a subsidy ?
@Shadow hows an idiot like yuorself ever come to these conclusions
@bobby day When it comes to his/her opinions and how they're formed, only "the Shadow knows".
@Shadow "Don't forget that most of these potheads are on some form of taxpayer subsidy,"
Many of not most of the ones that I know are (self-made) millionaires. One of them who is not a millionaire is a cop, and another is a significant 2nd Amendment activist who has been on the news recently.
By the way, I stick up for my beer-brewing friends too, even though I think beer tastes like p-ss, and I stick up for my cigarette-smoking friends too because I choose to hang with people who respect others enough to fire their nicotine OR their weed away from people who aren't comfortable around either.
That's what people will do if you teach liberty AND civility.
@Playanekes @Shadow "One of them who is not a millionaire is a cop."
Oh, that makes me feel better.......It's all ok then. Â LOL.
@Playanekes Well, we agree about beer (blechhhh) AND pot.  And I'm a very conscientious smoker. Â
...chuckle, chuckle... Typical bureaucrats... they haven't even found out for sure if they're going to be able to DO this(issues with the Feds) or if they can, how it all will work (logistically), or how much money they'll get from it... Â BUT they're already "spending" the money..! Â Â Gotta love these politicians... it's like somebody handed them a new checkbook in it, so they're busy writing checks... but the account's not set up yet - and there's NO MONEY in it..! Â Â
:-)
Hopefully Oregonians will be exempt from that tax.
@xilef regnu
It's still illegal in Oregon, unless you have a medical card, you going to purchase it up there, smoke it, and drive? Not a good idea.
@Roy Johnson That's an interesting argument. I go up to Washington to buy fireworks, but, I don't light them in the car on the way home.
@randola  No they won't - it will be too darn expensive in WA. Oregon growers will see an uptick in revenues as WA tokers cross the border to buy it cheaper in OR.
@Playanekes @Roy Johnson Well they will definitely buy it and transport it over state lines just like the fireworks.
@Playanekes @Roy JohnsonÂ
And they too, are illegal here. I once heard they were looking for Oregon plates at fireworks sales locations, could they do the same with this? The revenue just went up, at least possibly here in Oregon.