Pubdate: Sun, 30 Aug 2015
Source: Arizona Republic (Phoenix, AZ)
Copyright: 2015 The Arizona Republic
Contact: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/sendaletter.html
Website: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/24
Author: Yvonne Wingett Sanchez

Political Insider

DIANE DOUGLAS: JUST SAY NO TO "EVIL" DRUG MONEY

Schools superintendent Diane Douglas blasted an effort to legalize 
marijuana in Arizona in a statement to the Insider, saying the use of 
"drug money" to fund schools would be "evil and hypocritical."

If approved by voters, the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like 
Alcohol would set up a system where consumers could openly buy 
marijuana. A tax on the cannabis would help fund K-12 education and, 
according to the campaign's estimates, could raise more than $40 
million the first year for schools.

Asked about the revenue projections, Douglas, who has been silent on 
her sentiments about marijuana legalization, responded in her 
statement that she is "fundamentally opposed" to the idea of spending 
money raised from marijuana on K-12 education.

"I believe that using drug money to educate our school children is 
evil and hypocritical and I don't want any part of it," she said in 
the e-mailed statement. "While Arizona is in desperate need of more 
K-12 education funding, a more responsible solution must be 
identified. Furthermore, the purported $40 million that proponents of 
the marijuana proposal claim would go to education is nowhere near 
sufficient to make a real difference."
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