Pubdate: Thu, 19 Feb 2015
Source: North Coast Journal (Arcata, CA)
Copyright: 2015 North Coast Journal
Contact:  http://www.northcoastjournal.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2833
Author: Grant Scott-Goforth

TAX RETURNS

A weeeeeird thing is happening in Colorado. All of the tax money the 
state collected from recreational marijuana transactions during its 
first year of legalization - $44 million from the 28 percent sales 
tax - has to be returned, thanks to a tax loophole in the state's constitution.

While high state revenues must have been a selling point to reluctant 
voters who approved recreational legalization in 2012, the $44 
million figure was actually underwhelming compared to government estimates.

But Colorado law has a provision protecting against unnecessary new 
taxes. Specifically, the state constitution says a new voter-approved 
tax (like that on marijuana, which followed voter approval of legal 
weed) can only go into effect when the state needs the money. In 2014 
a strong economy boosted overall tax revenue beyond state 
projections, meaning money from the new pot tax must be returned.

How the state will do that has yet to be determined; it can dole out 
$44 million in checks to all income tax payers, or it can stop 
charging sales tax on weed for a year. At least one state senator has 
said that will harm the drug programs and schools that were slated to 
get money, and is pushing to ask voters to go ahead and let the state 
keep the revenue.

That could go either way. While many non-users likely approved 
legalization for the tax boon to schools, it's hard to imagine people 
turning down a government issued check (even for a paltry half-eighth 
sum). Some dispensary owners reportedly like the tax, as it 
legitimizes their enterprises, but their customers - who paid more 
than $8 in taxes on a $30 eighth last year - probably wouldn't 
complain about a year's worth of tax-free weed.

Even the tax-leery Right has waffled on its give-us-back-our-money 
stance. The Associated Press reported that, while state Republicans 
typically oppose the government keeping refunds guaranteed by the 
state constitution, they think pot should "pay for itself."

One if by land, two if by university? The suits keep coming: The 
former head of the University of Nevada, Reno was recently awarded 
one of the city's first medical marijuana business licenses. Joe 
Crowley, who was well liked at the university, according to the Reno 
Gazette-Journal, said his brother and sister used marijuana to 
relieve pain from multiple sclerosis and surgeries.

I'm going to make an assumption (yes, I know what happens when I 
assume) that there's a big crossover between Humboldt County's legion 
of anti-vaxxers and those who enjoy and/or grow weed. So be wary of 
exploding heads, as the new surgeon general, who has been touring the 
nation promoting vaccination, also recently told CBS This Morning 
that marijuana "can be helpful" for certain conditions and symptoms. 
Vivek Murthy called for science-driven marijuana policies, but came 
short of calling for legalization like former Surgeon General 
Joycelyn Elders and one-time surgeon general candidate Sanjay Gupta.

The buzzkillers at the Mateel Community Center squashed your chance 
to drop the kids while you float around the Ganjier Spring Kickoff 
this coming weekend. Though the festival initially advertised a 
"Kid's Zone" nestled between the Law Offices of Kathleen Bryson and 
the Pure Analytics Cannabis Potency and Safety Screening booths 
(where little Jack and Jill would presumably be soothed by the sweet 
sounds of SoHum Girls and EZ Money from the nearby stage), the 
Mateel's board raised its jack boots and curbed the notion of anyone 
under 18 getting into the festival, "even in a designated kids area," 
according to event organizers.

Maybe grandma can look after them.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom