<html>
<head>
<style>
.hmmessage P
{
margin:0px;
padding:0px
}
body.hmmessage
{
font-size: 10pt;
font-family:Verdana
}
</style>
</head>
<body class='hmmessage'>
Yea!<br><br>Keely<br>http://keely-prevailingwinds.blogspot.com/<br><br><br><br><br>> Date: Thu, 16 Jul 2009 10:55:03 -0700<br>> From: lfalen@turbonet.com<br>> To: kjajmix1@msn.com; thansen@moscow.com; vision2020@moscow.com<br>> Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Pot Tax Could Amount to $1.3 Billion Annually<br>> <br>> Keely, Tom and Ted<br>> I think that we all agree on this.<br>> Roger<br>> -----Original message-----<br>> From: keely emerinemix kjajmix1@msn.com<br>> Date: Thu, 16 Jul 2009 09:09:24 -0700<br>> To: Tom Hansen thansen@moscow.com, vision2020@moscow.com<br>> Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Pot Tax Could Amount to $1.3 Billion Annually<br>> <br>> > <br>> > This just seems so obvious to me, perhaps more so as a someone who endures chronic pain for which marijuana could be helpful. It seems absurd that someone smoking a joint on a Friday night, at home listening to NPR, Cat Stevens, or Wilco, ought to even be on law enforcement's radar screen.<br>> > <br>> > Legalize it, regulate it, control it, tax it, and solve a few problems while moving on to issue a lot less clear. <br>> > <br>> > Keely<br>> > http://keely-prevailingwinds.blogspot.com/<br>> > <br>> > <br>> > <br>> > <br>> > > Date: Thu, 16 Jul 2009 06:37:33 -0700<br>> > > From: thansen@moscow.com<br>> > > To: vision2020@moscow.com<br>> > > Subject: [Vision2020] Pot Tax Could Amount to $1.3 Billion Annually<br>> > > <br>> > > Courtesy of today's (July 16, 2009) San Francisco Chronicle at:<br>> > > <br>> > > http://tinyurl.com/atlumc<br>> > > <br>> > > -------------------------------------------------<br>> > > <br>> > > Ammiano wants to make marijuana legal in state<br>> > > Wyatt Buchanan, Chronicle Staff Writer<br>> > > <br>> > > California would become the first state in the nation to legalize<br>> > > marijuana for recreational use under a bill introduced Monday by<br>> > > Assemblyman Tom Ammiano of San Francisco.<br>> > > <br>> > > The proposal would regulate marijuana like alcohol, with people over 21<br>> > > years old allowed to grow, buy, sell and possess cannabis - all of which<br>> > > is barred by federal law.<br>> > > <br>> > > Ammiano, a Democrat in his third month as a state lawmaker, said taxes and<br>> > > other fees associated with regulation could put more than a billion<br>> > > dollars a year into state coffers at a time when revenues continue to<br>> > > decline.<br>> > > <br>> > > He said he thinks the federal government could soften its stance on<br>> > > marijuana under the Obama administration.<br>> > > <br>> > > "We could in fact have the political will to do something, and certainly<br>> > > in the meantime this is a public policy call and I think it's worth the<br>> > > discussion," Ammiano said. "I think the outcome would be very healthy for<br>> > > California and California's economy."<br>> > > <br>> > > A spokeswoman for the Drug Enforcement Agency in Washington, D.C.,<br>> > > declined to comment on the proposal. A White House spokesman referred to a<br>> > > statement on a question-and-answer section of an Obama transition team<br>> > > blog that says the president "is not in favor of the legalization of<br>> > > marijuana."<br>> > > <br>> > > While Californians have shown some tolerance for marijuana, such as use<br>> > > for medical conditions with voters' passage of Proposition 215 in 1996,<br>> > > the proposal will face tough opposition in Sacramento.<br>> > > <br>> > > A lobbyist for key police associations in the state called it "a bad idea<br>> > > whose time has not come."<br>> > > <br>> > > "The last thing our society needs is yet more legal intoxicants," said<br>> > > John Lovell, who represents the California Peace Officers' Association,<br>> > > California Police Chiefs Association and California Narcotic Officers'<br>> > > Association. "We've got enough social problems now when people aren't in<br>> > > charge of all five of their senses."<br>> > > <br>> > > But Ammiano's proposal has the support of San Francisco Sheriff Michael<br>> > > Hennessey, who said the idea "should be the subject of legislative and<br>> > > public debate."<br>> > > <br>> > > It also has the backing of Betty Yee, who chairs the state Board of<br>> > > Equalization, which collects taxes in California. An analysis by the<br>> > > agency concluded the state would collect $1.3 billion a year from tax<br>> > > revenues and a $50-an-ounce levy on retail sales if marijuana were legal.<br>> > > <br>> > > The analysis also concluded that legalizing marijuana would drop its<br>> > > street value by 50 percent and increase consumption of the substance by 40<br>> > > percent.<br>> > > <br>> > > A spokesman for the Marijuana Policy Project, which advocates for reform<br>> > > in marijuana laws and is backing Ammiano's proposal, said any expected<br>> > > increase in consumption is a "false notion."<br>> > > <br>> > > "They are making an intuitive assumption that a lot of people make that<br>> > > really does not have that much evidence behind it," said Bruce Mirken, the<br>> > > group's spokesman, who predicted it could take up to two years before the<br>> > > idea wins legislative approval.<br>> > > <br>> > > "Don't tell me that doing something like (this) proposal is going to<br>> > > introduce another drug into society. That's a load of bull."<br>> > > <br>> > > ---------------<br>> > > <br>> > > Assemblyman Tom Ammiano of San Francisco<br>> > > <br>> > > http://tinyurl.com/TomAmmiano<br>> > > <br>> > > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Ammiano<br>> > > <br>> > > -------------------------------------------------<br>> > > <br>> > > Seeya round town, Moscow.<br>> > > <br>> > > Tom Hansen<br>> > > Moscow, Idaho<br>> > > <br>> > > "The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change<br>> > > and the Realist adjusts his sails."<br>> > > <br>> > > - Unknown<br>> > > <br>> > > <br>> > > =======================================================<br>> > > List services made available by First Step Internet, <br>> > > serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994. <br>> > > http://www.fsr.net <br>> > > mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com<br>> > > =======================================================<br>> > <br>> > _________________________________________________________________<br>> > Windows Live™ SkyDrive™: Get 25 GB of free online storage.<br>> > http://windowslive.com/online/skydrive?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_SD_25GB_062009<br>> > <br><br /><hr />Windows Live™: Keep your life in sync. <a href='http://windowslive.com/explore?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_BR_life_in_synch_062009' target='_new'>Check it out.</a></body>
</html>