CO's Dope Taxes Up in Smoke?

[mrjarrell]

I, like Steve, am still waiting to see your links to this Cato study you "cited". What lies? And who owns Cato? Wouldn't that be the Koch brothers? Major donors to the republican party? Methinks your silly ire is misplaced.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

I, like Steve, am still waiting to see your links to this Cato study you "cited".

I did cite it. I don't understand your confusion. It was announced back in 2010.

The Budgetary Impact of Ending Drug Prohibition | Cato Institute

Tax revenue was used as a stalking horse to sell marijuana in Colorado. It wasn't true.

Now, if one can live with their lies because it advances the agenda, ok, but then one is just like all the other politicians, lying to advance a goal. I guess purity is subjective, just as I have called it.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

They money that was already spent and now (may) need to be refunded will come from those that pay taxes. The productive class will be asked to pay for the play of another class.



horn, I wouldn't think BBI is a doper. He just didn't understand the dynamics.

The money was already spent? Co is giving more tax breaks and appears to have a surplus. I'm on my phone and didn't dig too deep. Doesn't seem to be any budget shortfall though.

 

[mrjarrell]

The money was already spent? Co is giving more tax breaks and appears to have a surplus. I'm on my phone and didn't dig too deep. Doesn't seem to be any budget shortfall though.

Math is not his forte'. Neither is logic, apparently.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Hickenlooper unveils next year's Colorado budget and taxpayer rebates - 7NEWS Denver TheDenverChannel.com

"It will be important to engage the legislature when the session begins on the issue of marijuana rebates, and at this time, it would be unwise for the state to plan to spend any of those funds in advance of that discussion," Hickenlooper said.

That was back in 2014. What changed that the money was spent and now needs to be refunded?

Colorado's budget healthy as the state expects a $257 million surplus in revenues | CPR

Revenues have rebounded solidly since the Great Recession, and the state expects a surplus of $257 million this fiscal year, and more than double that next year.

So even if the marijuana tax estimate was off entirely and there was $0 in tax revenue, the state would still be running a surplus. What funds are non-dope smokers having to pay back to cover the dope smokers?

 

[steveh_131]

Call me what you will, that's just fine, but I am simply pointing out the Libertarian lies and dishonesty. They are just like every other party.

So far you've pointed out zero. 0. (0).

I did cite it. I don't understand your confusion. It was announced back in 2010.

The Budgetary Impact of Ending Drug Prohibition | Cato Institute

Kirk... this is an estimate for the legalization of all drugs, nationwide. Where is this dishonest estimate of the impact of legalizing one drug, in one area? Still waiting for a link.

I want to be clear. You said that a group of people purposely lied about the potential tax revenue, and that this group is 'Libertarians'.

So far you haven't shown that anyone actually lied, you've only shown that the projection was off, but there was still a substantially boost in revenue. To top it off, you've shown no evidence that some raving group of libertarians is behind this fictional lie.

Where is your evidence to back this wild conspiracy theory? Do you sometimes wake up in a sweat, worried that the libertarians are out to get you?

 

[hornadylnl]

So far you've pointed out zero. 0. (0).



Kirk... this is an estimate for the legalization of all drugs, nationwide. Where is this dishonest estimate of the impact of legalizing one drug, in one area? Still waiting for a link.

I want to be clear. You said that a group of people purposely lied about the potential tax revenue, and that this group is 'Libertarians'.

So far you haven't shown that anyone actually lied, you've only shown that the projection was off, but there was still a substantially boost in revenue. To top it off, you've shown no evidence that some raving group of libertarians is behind this fictional lie.

Where is your evidence to back this wild conspiracy theory? Do you sometimes wake up in a sweat, worried that the libertarians are out to get you?

I need to subscribe to the Journal and Courier to watch for Kirk's inevitable meltdown.

 

[steveh_131]

 

[t-squared]

Can they buy weed on Sunday?

 

[Pooty22]

Something that Kirk keeps repeating is the idea of a "productive class" and a "stoner class." For some reason, he, and I'm sure others, think that there is no way you can be a gainfully employed, tax-paying member of society while at the same time using pot in your free time. The two groups are not mutually exclusive. This misconception is something that I think is holding back the entire country on legalizing or at least decriminalizing marijuana. I don't know for sure because I don't know a ton of pot smokers (that I know of), but I would guess that the vast majority of people in CO and WA who are recreational pot users also have full-time jobs and families to support.

 

[AA&E]

Something that Kirk keeps repeating is the idea of a "productive class" and a "stoner class." For some reason, he, and I'm sure others, think that there is no way you can be a gainfully employed, tax-paying member of society while at the same time using pot in your free time. The two groups are not mutually exclusive. This misconception is something that I think is holding back the entire country on legalizing or at least decriminalizing marijuana. I don't know for sure because I don't know a ton of pot smokers (that I know of), but I would guess that the vast majority of people in CO and WA who are recreational pot users also have full-time jobs and families to support.

Valid point, I've seen some states require welfare recipients to submit to drug screening. It caught virtually none. That would be the pot smoking class if his theory held water.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Something that Kirk keeps repeating is the idea of a "productive class" and a "stoner class." For some reason, he, and I'm sure others, think that there is no way you can be a gainfully employed, tax-paying member of society while at the same time using pot in your free time. The two groups are not mutually exclusive. This misconception is something that I think is holding back the entire country on legalizing or at least decriminalizing marijuana. I don't know for sure because I don't know a ton of pot smokers (that I know of), but I would guess that the vast majority of people in CO and WA who are recreational pot users also have full-time jobs and families to support.

When I worked construction the largest crew I was ever on was about 22-25 people. 3 of us didn't smoke weed. After I left for the military, I found out one of the other 3 took it up and smoked until he quit to get a position on a union job.

Every climber I ever worked with smoked. Every one. No exceptions. I didn't climb for many reasons, too big, too scared of heights, too scared of falling from heights, too scared of hitting the ground after falling from heights, but if I'd been forced to I'd have probably wanted something for my nerves as well.

 

[steveh_131]

This is nothing new. Ignorant people have touted this line of thought for a very long time.

 

[rambone]

Something that Kirk keeps repeating is the idea of a "productive class" and a "stoner class." For some reason, he, and I'm sure others, think that there is no way you can be a gainfully employed, tax-paying member of society while at the same time using pot in your free time. The two groups are not mutually exclusive. This misconception is something that I think is holding back the entire country on legalizing or at least decriminalizing marijuana. I don't know for sure because I don't know a ton of pot smokers (that I know of), but I would guess that the vast majority of people in CO and WA who are recreational pot users also have full-time jobs and families to support.

Kirk prides himself in putting a condescending stereotype in every post.

 

[mrjarrell]

Oh, no! The libertarians are at it again! Two libertarian legislators have introduced a bill at the federal level to reschedule the debils weed, legalise it and tax it. Oh, no! Oh, wait....they're actually democrats? There are no elected libertarians in congress? But, Kirk said it was all about them...not people from other parties....

Congressmen Introduce Bills to Legalize and Tax Marijuana - Hit & Run : Reason.com

Where is Kirk, anyway? Thought he'd be in here proving everyone wrong. Guess he got tired of trolling.

 

[hornadylnl]

Oh, no! The libertarians are at it again! Two libertarian legislators have introduced a bill at the federal level to reschedule the debils weed, legalise it and tax it. Oh, no! Oh, wait....they're actually democrats? There are no elected libertarians in congress? But, Kirk said it was all about them...not people from other parties....

Congressmen Introduce Bills to Legalize and Tax Marijuana - Hit & Run : Reason.com

Where is Kirk, anyway? Thought he'd be in here proving everyone wrong. Guess he got tired of trolling.

He's being supervised by the EPA cleaning up his vomit on an I 65 ramp.

 

[steveh_131]

Where is Kirk, anyway? Thought he'd be in here proving everyone wrong. Guess he got tired of trolling.

He's lost this argument. What could he say? Everything he's said so far is factually incorrect, almost comically so.

He might pop in with an argument equivalent to "Nuh uh" and dull-witted insult.

 

[mrjarrell]

Colorado is going to reduce their cannabis tax to be more competitive with the black market. Sadly, they set their greed levels, where the taxes were concerned too high and that kept a black market in effect. Lowering taxes will help kill that market and make the legal market even more productive.
Colorado Cuts Marijuana Tax, Targets Black Market, While Oregon Eyes 20% Tax - Forbes

 

[T.Lex]

Lowering taxes will help kill that market and make the legal market even more productive.

Has that ever worked?

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

It will be interesting to see how a price war between a government and a drug cartel(s) play out.