California lawmakers are finally considering legislation to regulate medical marijuana, which has been legal under state law for nearly two decades. Among the proposals is a bill calling for an excise tax on marijuana that could raise nearly $60 million in revenue each year. As a fiscal conservative and opponent of recreational marijuana, I'm an unlikely voice in the cannabis tax policy debate. Yet after speaking with parties on all sides of the issue, I'm convinced an excise tax on medical marijuana could make sense, and if done correctly, would help ensure California taxpayers are treated fairly. [continues 419 words]
As a lifelong conservative, I'm no fan of government regulation. Even so, I'm convinced it's time for California to aggressively regulate the medical marijuana industry. I've spoken with concerned citizens, local government officials, rural law enforcement officers, federal officials, anti-drug crusaders and medical marijuana industry insiders. George Runner | courtesy candidate courtesy candidate I visited the Emerald Triangle with fellow Board of Equalization member Fiona Ma. Our April tour showed how we can work with the industry to generate greater voluntary compliance with California law. [continues 540 words]
