cannabisnews.com: Taxes on Drug Dealers? Lawmaker Wants The Money 





Taxes on Drug Dealers? Lawmaker Wants The Money 
Posted by CN Staff on January 16, 2006 at 20:52:25 PT
By Curt Woodward, Associated Press
Source: Associated Press
Olympia, WA -- Betting that black-market cash can aid efforts to fight crime, a maverick Republican lawmaker is pushing a plan to fund police by taxing drug dealers. The illegal drug excise tax, patterned after measures adopted in nearly half the country, would set up a state system to distribute tax stamps for illegal drugs and alcohol.
Dealers busted with drugs or moonshine not bearing the stamps would be assessed the specific tax rates in addition to any criminal fees — ranging from $3.50 per gram of marijuana to $200 for each gram of cocaine. "It's just our little way of saying 'Thank you' for bringing some money into the state, even though you do it the wrong way, said the measure's sponsor, Rep. Tom Campbell, R-Roy. "It's my little way of righting a wrong, I guess." The more controversial part of Campbell's plan, however, may be how the taxes are spent: he hopes the proceeds can pay for a new statewide detective agency carved from the Washington State Patrol. That measure, which essentially would restrict the state's bowtied top cops to traffic duty, is drawing lukewarm reaction from the politically respected agency. Patrol officials haven't yet taken a public position on the measure, but the agency's leaders do believe the state needs more police investigators, said Capt. Jeff DeVere, the patrol's top spokesman. "We're in the top 10 for identity theft, auto theft, as well as methamphetamines. And we're 50th in the nation with regard to police officers per population," DeVere said. Campbell said his plan would tap into the patrol's existing crime expertise, likely transferring its roster of investigators and specialists to the new Washington Bureau of Investigation. The bureau would operate on a par with the State Patrol and a new fire protection office, which also would be split from the patrol's oversight. A new appointed public safety director would be in charge of all three agencies. The statewide detective agency would focus on drugs, organized crime, identity theft and public corruption cases. It also would assist local police, operate a forensics lab and maintain the state criminal information system. Campbell hopes the agency could reap large rewards from the proposed drug tax, which sends three quarters of its proceeds to police agencies that bust dealers. Both measures are due for their initial public hearings this week. "It really bothers me when I see how much it costs to put somebody in jail, and we have to pay for their attorney and all this," Campbell said. Activists for drug policy reform say the plan is foolhardy, and won't generate much money for the state. Roger Goodman, director of the drug policy project for the King County Bar Association, said drug taxes are mainly a "a nice symbolic gesture — 'We're going to make the drug dealers pay.' "But we're beyond the rhetoric now. We can't afford this tough talk. We need to have more smart strategy." Allen St. Pierre, executive director of marijuana-legalization group NORML, said seeing the proposal surface in Washington is surprising — the state is one of a handful that allow doctors to prescribe marijuana, and Seattle voters have instructed police to make pot possession their lowest priority. "It may be well-intentioned," St. Pierre said. "In fact, when the grist is examined in the millstone, it is just bad public policy." Complete Title: Taxes on Drug Dealers? Lawmaker Wants The Money for Cops ___ The drug tax bill is HB2448. The state patrol bill is HB2472. ___ On the Net: NORML: http://www.norml.org/ Legislature: http://www.leg.wa.gov State patrol: http://www.wsp.wa.gov Drug Policy Project: http://www.kcba.org/druglaw/ Source: Associated Press (Wire)Author: Curt Woodward, Associated Press Published: January 17, 2006Copyright: 2006 The Associated Press CannabisNews Justice Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/justice.shtml
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Comment #22 posted by cloud7 on January 17, 2006 at 09:00:57 PT
...
""It may be well-intentioned," St. Pierre said. "In fact, when the grist is examined in the millstone, it is just bad public policy.""That's sugar coating it real nicely, there are no good intentions associated with this tax proposal. They are simply looking to screw anyone caught with a non-government approved drug as hard and in as many ways as they can. ""It's just our little way of saying 'Thank you'"I believe he meant 'F*** you'"The more controversial part of Campbell's plan, however, may be how the taxes are spent: he hopes the proceeds can pay for a new statewide detective agency carved from the Washington State Patrol."Ah, and now we get to the heart of the matter, using the drug war to expand the police state.
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Comment #21 posted by dongenero on January 17, 2006 at 07:03:24 PT
the royal scam
"It's just our little way of saying 'Thank you' for bringing some money into the state, even though you do it the wrong way," said the measure's sponsor, Rep. Tom Campbell, R-Roy.Well, being that both sides are making money on the situation, that should ensure the black market stays healthy. The cops are making money on it, the crime organizations are making money on it, the prison industrial complex is making money on it.
 The government is making money on it too, as they take billions of tax dollars from us each year to pretend they are fighting what they are truly propping up.Oh, and not only do we citizens get to pay for this entire fiasco, we get to do prison time for it as well.Sure, it makes the economy work but, we make wake up some day to see that we all work for either the government.....or organized crime.
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Comment #20 posted by BGreen on January 17, 2006 at 07:01:50 PT
maverick Republican lawmaker, Tom Campbell
Campbell more resembles the old, outdated Ford Maverick, one that's long outlived its usefulness (and really was never worth much to begin with) and belongs in a trash heap along with the other rotting debris.The Reverend Bud Green
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Comment #19 posted by goneposthole on January 17, 2006 at 06:53:52 PT
Let the truth be known
Cannabis is here to stay. Legalize it. Leave it alone. Unencumbered, so to speak. Let it be.How many years now has Congress wanted the US to be drug free? It ain't gonna happen.What is really needed is for everyone to be free of Congress' unattainable, ridiculous, feckless notions. They're out of touch with what America is."All truth goes through three stages. First it is ridiculed.
Then it is violently opposed.
Finally, it is accepted as self-evident."  -Schoepenhauerhttp://www.compleatmother.com/quotes.htm
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Comment #18 posted by FoM on January 17, 2006 at 06:53:02 PT
Potpal 
I agree with the article. Laughter is good medicine. 
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Comment #17 posted by BGreen on January 17, 2006 at 06:51:57 PT
How about a theft tax?
Or maybe you can charge molesters $1,000 per child they accost?If they want to collect taxes on illegal behavior it needs to be fair right across the board.How about if they charge idiots $1 for every stupid word that comes out of their mouths?Rep. Tom Campbell, R-Roy, could fund the entire state's coffers with his verbal diarrhea.The Reverend Bud Green
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Comment #16 posted by potpal on January 17, 2006 at 06:47:07 PT
fyi
Watch what you watch...;-)http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4616902.stm
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Comment #15 posted by Dankhank on January 17, 2006 at 06:38:38 PT
Tax Stamps ...
http://www.flyingbuffalo.com/stamps.htmNumber of states made them ...http://tinyurl.com/9s3kf
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Comment #14 posted by FoM on January 17, 2006 at 06:37:53 PT
Weeds
I'm really glad that she won. I am looking forward to the new season. That last scene when she saw what name was on the shirt she put on when she looked in the mirror in the bathroom was priceless. 
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Comment #13 posted by Dankhank on January 17, 2006 at 06:28:03 PT
Weeds ...
Also glad M L Parker won for weeds ...OT ... she's so frakin" skinny!!!!!!!!!!
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Comment #12 posted by John Tyler on January 17, 2006 at 06:14:02 PT
Weeds wins
I was really glad that Mary Louise Parker won the Gloden Globe for her role in Weeds. It was good to hear it mentioned on TV with everyone watching.
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Comment #11 posted by whig on January 17, 2006 at 06:04:53 PT
BUDSNAXZ #7
Sarah Jessica Parker is not Mary Louise Parker.
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Comment #10 posted by Hope on January 17, 2006 at 05:50:03 PT
So right, Potpal
"Blantantly pointing out that the marijuana prohibition is there to make a class of people (25 million here in the us)on which to prey upon and support the police industrial complex in one way or another."The "Motherland" as some people have called our country since 9/11, is cruel and harsh to her children. 
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Comment #9 posted by potpal on January 17, 2006 at 05:36:49 PT
Tax stamps
Isn't there already a law calling for tax stamps, like federal ones that resulted in this prohibition?"It's my little way of righting a wrong, I guess." 
2 wrongs, don't make a right.Anyway, I think they think that when they arrest and confiscate someone property, they'll then figure out how many grams there where (before the cops took their share) and come up with a tax figure so some of the loot get earmarked to go to the state cops. Blantantly pointing out that the marijuana prohibition is there to make a class of people (25 million here in the us)on which to prey upon and support the police industrial complex in one way or another. It's the cops that can't let go...this certainly gives cops a reason not to go after cannabis users. doesn't it?
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Comment #8 posted by OverwhelmSam on January 17, 2006 at 04:10:22 PT
We Have Them In Texas
And the stamps are largely symbolic, symbloic of ignorant law makers. I don't think they'll ever been used, unless, they finally regulate marijuana for adult use.Anybody see this: "Hastert largely silent amid lobbying scandal, House speaker’s job appears safe, but some lawmakers are grumbling"http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10882290/If you'll recall, Hastert was the jerk who called Soros a drug dealer. Go get him ethics committee.
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Comment #7 posted by BUDSNAXZ on January 17, 2006 at 03:49:24 PT
OT: WEEDS
It just still amazes me at the ignorance. CNN reporting on the Golden Globes this morning, mentioned Sarah J Parker winning over Desperate Housewives yet they would not mention the name of the show that she won with (WEEDS). It was in small print on the bottom of the report while they proudly announced the names of all the other shows and movies that also won. Must'nt say any tabboo words can we now! Chickens**t prohibitionist morons.There I feel betterMac
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Comment #6 posted by Had Enough on January 17, 2006 at 02:09:51 PT
Fussing and Fighting
Roger Goodman, director of the drug policy project for the King County Bar Association, said drug taxes are mainly a "a nice symbolic gesture — 'We're going to make the drug dealers pay.' 
"But we're beyond the rhetoric now. We can't afford this tough talk. We need to have more smart strategy." First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they
fight you, then you win. Mohandas GandhiI’m guessing say this is the part where they fight you. At least, it's at stage 3.Tunes: Anybody ever listen to the Mighty “Groundhogs”
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Comment #5 posted by siege on January 16, 2006 at 22:23:35 PT
 runderwo
we have it in Tn and they wrote in that the tax is not to do sells and other sh*t.they have sold more for 
scrapbooks then for drugs and have not jailed anyone for cannabis in this county since it went in. all meth.and on tax on meth. 
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Comment #4 posted by siege on January 16, 2006 at 22:17:31 PT
longer jail time
A way to make jail time longer with criminal fees on an 1/8 about 55.00 dollars. with out the tax stamp.
I don't think I would like to be the cop doing the busting... 
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Comment #3 posted by runderwo on January 16, 2006 at 22:14:58 PT
lombar
I don't think he intends for anyone to actually purchase the stamps. It's just another asset forfeiture strategy, but this time it's disguised as a commercial regulation.
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on January 16, 2006 at 21:36:15 PT
lombar 
I just shook my head. Where do people come up with this stuff?
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Comment #1 posted by lombar on January 16, 2006 at 21:34:08 PT
Maybe I just don't get it but is this just nuts?
Does this mean that Rep. Tom Campbell thinks local dealers are going down to city hall to buy 'contraband stamps'? Do they have to show their stash so they buy the proper amount? In addition to being arrested and incarcerated for God only knows how long, have your possessions confiscated, you better have some "I am a dealer/bootlegger/lawbreaker" stamps as well or you will be fined too?Would not just purchasing the stamps be an admission of guilt?
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