cannabisnews.com: Chafee Factors Marijuana Sales Into Budget Plan

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  Chafee Factors Marijuana Sales Into Budget Plan

Posted by CN Staff on March 13, 2011 at 08:16:53 PT
By W. Zachary Malinowski, Journal Staff Writer  
Source: Providence Journal 

Providence, RI  --  The long-awaited debut of medical marijuana dispensaries in Rhode Island this spring promises to help deal with the state’s projected $295-million budget deficit.Last week, Governor Chafee proposed $157 million in new taxes on a wide array of items, including a 6-percent sales tax on medical marijuana sold at dispensaries. But just how much revenue could sales in the state’s growing medical-marijuana program deliver to the state’s coffers?
State Tax Administrator David Sullivan said that his office projects $802,000 in marijuana sales taxes for fiscal year 2012, which begins July 1. He said that the state expects the figure to climb to $1.3 million in the following fiscal year, which ends June 30, 2013.Meanwhile, the state would also place a 4-percent surcharge on gross monthly dispensary sales, under the budget proposal. Assuming that the Health Department issues permits for three dispensaries, the state predicts that the surcharge would produce $1.4 million during the dispensaries’ first two years of business.All told, that’s $3.5 million in new tax revenue over two years. The Health Department is expected to announce on Tuesday the names of operators for up to three dispensaries. They will be chosen from a list of 18 applications. JoAnne Leppanen, executive director of the Rhode Island Patient Advocacy Coalition, forecast that once the dispensaries open, 75 to 100 patients a week will apply to the Health Department for licenses to use medical marijuana, compared to about 30 now. There are now 3,271 Rhode Islanders licensed to use and grow medical marijuana, and 2,077 licensed to grow it for approved users. Dispensary owners in Colorado expect that the opening of three dispensaries in Rhode Island would lead to a dramatic surge in medical marijuana patients. They say that the centers are safe, and they erase many of the stigmas associated with using marijuana.  Snipped  Complete Article: http://drugsense.org/url/7cRBmQqKSource: Providence Journal, The (RI)Author: W. Zachary Malinowski, Journal Staff Writer Published:  Sunday, March 13, 2011Copyright: 2011 The Providence Journal CompanyContact: letters projo.comWebsite: http://www.projo.com/CannabisNews  Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml 

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Comment #15 posted by josephlacerenza on March 15, 2011 at 06:50:16 PT

Update: Montana Raids
Search Warrant at Big Sky Patient Care:http://www.nbcmontana.com/download/2011/0315/27195983.pdfMore from MT NORMLJohn Masterson (Montana NORML)
 to mtnorml-list Friends,Please forward this message to your contacts.Our latest info on the raids is here:
http://blog.montananorml.org/2011/03/14/live-blog-dea-raids-of-medical-marijuana-in-montana/A lot of people are angry and asking us what they can do.For the immediate term, our advice is to take our complaints to our
congressional delegation and newspapers.The core message: You're upset about the unconscionable federal
intrusion that defies the Obama memo and meddles with Montana state
politics.* Write a letter to the editor of your local paper. You can usually find
an email address on their 'Contact' page; here are a few:
- http://missoulian.com/app/contact/
- http://billingsgazette.com/app/contact/?contact=letter
- http://www.greatfallstribune.com/section/customerservice03
- http://helenair.com/app/contact/
- http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/submissions/?mode=letters
- http://www.dailyinterlake.com/contact_us/* Call the closest office of John Tester and Denny Rehberg, who work for
us in Washington DC:http://rehberg.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=31§iontree=6,31http://tester.senate.gov/Contact/offices.cfmCall them before noon Tuesday if you can. Concentrating the calls in a
single morning will have an impact.The core message: You're upset about the unconscionable federal
intrusion that defies the Obama memo and meddles with Montana state
politics.If their representatives tell you anything interesting, please let me
know what you've learned.--
--
John Masterson
Montana NORML - Working to reform marijuana laws in Montana.
Web: http://montananorml.org
Blog: http://blog.montananorml.org
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mtnorml
Twitter: http://twitter.com/mtnorml
Get Legislative Action Alerts: http://montanadrugpolicy.org
Medical Marijuana Botanical Analysis Lab located in Bozeman, Montana
[ Post Comment ]


 


Comment #14 posted by FoM on March 14, 2011 at 19:48:03 PT

Joseph
I have no doubt it is politically motivated too.
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Comment #13 posted by josephlacerenza on March 14, 2011 at 19:36:36 PT:

FoM its Funny
It just so happens, I found out about repeal being shot down just as the DEA raids were happening!!! This is no coincidence! This is Big Sky politics... It never is about what you know, but who you know. More importantly, knowing who not to piss off!!! :)
Botanical Analysis Lab located in Bozeman Montana
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Comment #12 posted by josephlacerenza on March 14, 2011 at 19:30:45 PT

More from Cannabis Culture
It appears to be strictly political!! Big Sky Patient Care, I know them well, was one of the targets. I hope they make it through this. Drug trafficking appears to be one of the areas of investigation. I know Mark and Val at Big Sky Patient Care are above the board people. Heck, theirs was the first dispensary I went to! Val is my caregiver!! They are the BIG dogs here. They have stores in Billings, Butte, Bozeman, Big Sky, and Dillion. I know Mark was doing work on the state level against repeal. I think he pissed the wrong politician off! If a politician feels his/her seat in jeopardy, they will do anything, like call the DEA on you!!Montana Biotech: http://montanabiotech.wordpress.com
Feds Raid Montana Medical Marijuana Businesses
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Comment #11 posted by FoM on March 14, 2011 at 17:26:58 PT

Joseph
It does seem they are serious. 
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Comment #10 posted by josephlacerenza on March 14, 2011 at 14:12:19 PT:

DEA RAIDS: UPDATE
This is really scary here!!! These guys are not kidding around!!!
DEA, ATF and Locals RAID Dispensaries in Montana
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Comment #9 posted by FoM on March 14, 2011 at 14:07:51 PT

Joseph
I'm sorry about the raids but I'm glad the Bill died.
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Comment #8 posted by josephlacerenza on March 14, 2011 at 12:36:20 PT:

Montana News: Breaking!!!
Repeal Dies.....!!!! Rip!!!! I hope to hear no more of this nonsense!!!Montana Biotechhttp://montanabiotech.wordpress.com

Bill to repeal Medical Marijuana Act dies in MT Senate
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Comment #7 posted by josephlacerenza on March 14, 2011 at 12:25:25 PT:

DEA RAIDS IN MONTANA: UPDATE
John Masterson (Montana NORML)Just to be sure everyone is aware:If you are prosecuted in federal court, there is no such thing as medical marijuana. Your compliance with state law is no defense. In fact you may not even be allowed to mention it.Your best strategy is to say nothing to police, except to demand to meet with your attorney.We've heard that caregivers in Helena, Bozeman, and Flathead areas have been raided so far - a total of 7 businesses.Let us know what you're hearing.- MT NORML

Potency Tesing Lab in Montana
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Comment #6 posted by josephlacerenza on March 14, 2011 at 11:59:43 PT:

BREAKING NEWS MONTANA!!!
FoM......I got this from MT NORML!!!!John Masterson (Montana NORML)We have multiple reports of multiple DEA raids of Montana dispensaries
in progress.http://helenair.com/article_6dd744e8-4e67-11e0-8ebb-001cc4c002e0.html
has the breaking news.If you are aware of a raid, let us know by emailing us. And take
pics/video of the raid if you can.Patients, call your caregiver. Caregivers, call your lawyers, prepare.Say nothing to police except that you want a lawyer.If you are arrested, call Americans for Safe Access: 888-929-4367Please spread the word.- MT NORMLhttp://montanabiotech.wordpress.com

DEA rai in Progress 12:56 MT time
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on March 13, 2011 at 18:33:19 PT

gloovins
It's good to see you and I totally understand what you are saying. My concern is if they keep prices high and collect a big tax no one will be allowed to grow their own to save money. So once again the disabled and poor will be penalized. I'm not up on alcohol prohibition but I don't think at first people could brew their own beer.
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Comment #4 posted by gloovins on March 13, 2011 at 18:10:51 PT

ok, so I just read the entire aricle, (unsnipped)
And it says it will be sold at "about $300 an oz". Wow, well that's about $10 a gram. See why they now accept it? And they claim it to be a "non-profit" dispensiary? What a f***ing joke. 
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Comment #3 posted by gloovins on March 13, 2011 at 17:56:21 PT

the prices
I was just thinking, I wonder how much say, an 1/8 of an oz will be at one of the gov't licensed non-profit centers? Over, say $10? Because as we all know, it takes pennies a gram literally to produce this plant - at least on a large, mass scale. These politicians have screamed bloody deficit murder ever since their state budgets have tanked. They cannot wait to get their tax hooks on our Meds. It is they who have gotten us citizens into these massive debts. They have a lot of our tax dollars I would say but it's never enough. Never -- and they have convinced the voters to tax our meds too. Evidence being Measure M passing in LA last week. It taxes dispensiaries in LA w/ a special tax. We patients are revenue sources and it sucks. No special medical tax on Xanax but you don't see that on the ballot, no. Maybe it should be? I am angry about this. Now as far as these Rhode Island dispensiaries, I am curious as to weather the politicians there think they are going to be taxing this medicine at 6% and an 1/8 is say, $50 or, as it should be if it is truly "non-profit", and around no more than $10? They will find their tax revenue from said tax is a lot less than projected if it is the latter.
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Comment #2 posted by Storm Crow on March 13, 2011 at 12:34:47 PT

Governor Chafee......
Bless you, sir! (even if you are doing it just for financial reasons!) 
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on March 13, 2011 at 08:24:58 PT

Governor Chafee
Thank you!
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