One crazy idea can fix Lees money troubles | fortmyers.floridaweekly.com | Fort Myers Florida Weekly
One business that appears to be thriving in Southwest Florida is that of marijuana grow houses. Last year, the sheriffs office confiscated $8 million worth of the herb. This year, we’re approaching $7 million. Let us generously assume that the sheriff’s office is wiping out a quarter of our county’s marijuana crop every year. That would give us a $30 million a year industry that goes untaxed and unexploited by taxpayers. Our high foreclosure rate ensures that entrepreneurs can find plenty of grow houses at bargain-basement rates.The way the system currently works, money that could be used to fund our economic survival instead ends up in the pockets of second-rate criminals and mobsters in the northeast.
Imagine that marijuana could be taxed at exorbitant rates, 100 percent even, in exchange for granting legalization of the plant. Our hypothetical modest $30 million could begin to build a comprehensive, world-class transportation system. It could be used to build a municipal, super-highspeed Internet system that makes broadband speeds look tortoise-like. A system like that would show big technology firms that Southwest Florida means business. Commercial impact fees might be waived for qualifying new businesses. We could fund educational programs and scholarships that would make us a magnet for the greatest minds in the nation.
The prohibitionists will say, “oh, no, then the streets will be filled with potheads!” Not exactly, but they’ll claim these claims of revenue from taxation and regulation fail to take into account the increased social costs from increased use of legal cannabis. As if everyone who wants to smoke pot isn’t already doing that… that’s why the grow house business is so profitable!
Another canard is “you can’t tax it because everyone will just grow it themselves!” This is often said by someone who has never tried to grow quality marijuana. It’s harder than home brewing beer, and few beer drinkers are avoiding the beer taxes by brewing their own at home.
If I had an economic argument against legalization of cannabis it would be that so many people making an off-the-books living on low-level dealing would suddenly show up in the unemployment lines. But that’s an argument that says it’s okay to lock up a few people so some others can make a living, and I can’t abide that. Besides, the illegal growers and dealers of today will be the perfect job applicants for the legal growing and dealing jobs of tomorrow – they’ll just have to pay taxes and pass inspections and follow rules like the rest of us who punch a clock for a living.
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yes but sadly our comments HERE will not persuade a corrupted congress local or at any level.
its ONLY commopn sense that says wed have reduced criminal activity, MORE income for each state and mentally healthier ppl roaming the streets and MINDING THEIR OWN BUSINESS about.
so lets comment where it actually counts and not continue to preach to the Chior.
I’ve had discussions with Paul Armentano, I believe, about the “home brewing beer” analogy. It may not be as simple as that because of the effort-to-output differences. Your dedicated beer drinker drinks far more Bud than he could make himself in reasonable time, but a good harvest of buds could last even a dedicated toker quite a while.
Still, I think there is plenty of money to be made in a legal cannabis industry. Most cannabis smokers are the “occasionally on the weekend or at a concert” variety who wouldn’t want the expense and hassle of a home grow and would gladly pay for the convenience of retail cannabis.
I am in 100% agreement with you. I work for a major healthcare system in Ft Myers (I’ll let you guess which one :) and it’s sad that you still can’t even say the word “marijuana” out loud without getting weird looks from people around you. However, being on multiple different prescription painkillers and anti-anxiety medications is fine….they were prescribed by a “medical professional” (term used loosely). I’m so glad our government made a plant that has been in use since 7000 B.C. illegal…and gave us safer alternatives like semi-synthetic opiate based painkillers; and anti-depressants with a “discontinuation syndrome” (that has resulted in suicide more than once) They always got our best interest at heart.
I live here in Lee County. I recently had the opportunity of visiting the Sheriff’s evidence room and saw all the confiscated grow equipment. I have also met the Sheriff here. He’s the infamous Sheriff Mike Scott who was seen on national news slamming Barack Hussein Obama. I would really love to get connected with professional people in this area who are pro drug-law reform and willing to stand up for the rights of cannabis growers and users in Lee County.
I would also like to stay anonymous as well. Please post a comment if you have any interest in collaborating in cannabis law reform here in Lee County.