We think you're near Los Angeles

CO governor says pot fees helping fix budget - No such option yet for next WI governor

Gary Storck's photo
Madison NORML Examiner


CO has mmj budget fix, not so for WI

MADISON: When Wisconsin's legislature and new governor take office in January 2011, staring them in the face will be a huge budget hole. Stopgap measures have so far delayed the impacts of reduced revenues and the economic downturn, This will not be the case come January.

With years of state budget deficits and reduced revenues, there is not much left to cut or push forward. As I noted in an earlier article, had Wisconsin passed the Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuana Act, at least ten things would be different.

Today, Colorado's governor Bill Ritter noted how fees from the state medical marijuana program are helping to fill a budget gap:

DENVER -- Gov. Bill Ritter is using $9 million from medical marijuana registrations to help the state meet a $60 million fiscal emergency. -- "Colorado gov. says pot fees helping budget deficit" Washington Post, 08/23/10.

With medical cannabis fees a source of revenue in tough financial times, Montana and Oregon state officials probably are not too unhappy that out-of-state patients are eligible to join their medical marijuana programs and the states collect those fees on top of in-state patient fees.

Fees from state medical cannabis program are just one small piece of state revenues generated by the medical cannabis industry. State sales tax revenues are another large piece, as well as the revenue-multiplying effects of the thousands of jobs created. Local governments benefit from local sales taxes and licensing fees and a larger tax base.

Back here in Wisconsin I guess they can always stick it to cigarette smokers again next January. The Tavern League certainly will not let lawmakers raise any alcohol-related taxes.

Related Articles

 
For more info: Dane County Medical Marijuana Referendum:  www.jrmma.org. 06/24/10: Gary Storck OPED: Isthmus: Rejection of Wisconsin medical marijuana bill was a profile in cowardice. This Oct. 1-3, 2010: Great Midwest Marijuana Harvest Festival. Madison NORML Examiner: Jacki Rickert MMJ Act 2010 runs out of time in Wisconsin Legislature. For additional details on medical cannabis and Wisconsin visit JRMMA.org, IMMLY.org, Wisconsin NORML or MadisonNORML.org. Visit my Madison NORML Examiner articles archive. Photos courtesy of Madison NORML/IMMLY and coloradoindependent.com. All rights reserved. Madison NORML Examiner is dedicated to the memory of our sister and hero Mary Powers (1949-2009).
Advertisement

, Madison NORML Examiner

Gary Storck is a Madison-based writer and speaker with a lifelong interest in cannabis, politics, healthcare and disability rights. Gary is also a longtime volunteer with Madison NORML, Is My Medicine Legal YET? (IMMLY). and Wisconsin NORML.

Don't miss...