Welcome to The Independent Forum. Every week we ask a different question and solicit responses from a diverse group of New Mexico thinkers, pundits and other observers of the state's political landscape. We'll add more responses as they come in, so keep checking back to see how the conversation progresses.
We also invite readers to participate – so please share your thoughts on this question in the comments section. If you have suggestions for how we can improve this feature or have have an idea for a future question, send us an e-mail.
This week we're talking about something many of us probably couldn't have envisioned only a few years ago: Taxing the sale of pot. With New Mexico's adoption of medical marijuana comes a bill from Sen. John Sapien that would apply a 25 percent excise tax on the value of medical marijuana sold by producers, as well as a gross receipts tax on its purchase by patients. So, this week's question is:
"Should New Mexico tax medical marijuana?"
PAUL GESSING, president of the Rio Grande Foundation:
No, I'm against unnecessary tax hikes and this one is no different. As usual, potential savings abound in New Mexico's budget. For starters, since we are talking about drugs, the state could save $13.2 million annually by simply diverting non-violent offenders convicted of drug possession to probation through increased use of drug courts and mandatory treatment and work programs. The Rio Grande Foundation has outlined a variety of criminal justice-related reforms here.
Literally millions of additional dollars could be saved by simply addressing our state's bloated government workforce, costly Medicaid system, and by prudently reducing spending at all levels of government.
Besides, if marijuana is indeed essential medicine for thousands of New Mexicans, why in the world would we place such a prohibitive tax on it?
TERRI COLE, president and CEO, Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce:
Senator Sapien is a sensible guy and an impressive business leader. He needs to apply that good, sensible business experience to New Mexico's tax policy. All legislators, including the most sensible of the bunch, need to focus on consolidating government and cutting government before new tax increases are imposed on anything else. The best tax policy keeps taxation broad-based. The worst tax policy targets "this 'n that" which only creates an unstable and unfair taxation system. Medical marijuana falls in the "this 'n that" category of taxation. Let's get beyond bad tax policy. But first, cut government and consolidate services. There is a good chance that will do it.
JIM BACA, blogger, former director of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Albuquerque mayor, state land commissioner and recently retired natural resources trustee:
New Mexico should not tax any medicines, including marijuana. I wonder if any legislator would ever go out of their way to tax insulin. Not likely. So why marijuana?Well, it is a political populist thing to do. Having said that I do believe marijuana should be legalized and taxed for use other than medicine. That is realistic. Let's face it though. Neither of these ideas are going to fly.
News Hawk- Weedpipe 420 Magazine - Cannabis Culture News & Reviews
Source: The New Mexico Independent
Contact: New Mexico Independent
Copyright: © 2008-2009 The New Mexico Independent
Website:Taxing medical marijuana New Mexico Independent
We also invite readers to participate – so please share your thoughts on this question in the comments section. If you have suggestions for how we can improve this feature or have have an idea for a future question, send us an e-mail.
This week we're talking about something many of us probably couldn't have envisioned only a few years ago: Taxing the sale of pot. With New Mexico's adoption of medical marijuana comes a bill from Sen. John Sapien that would apply a 25 percent excise tax on the value of medical marijuana sold by producers, as well as a gross receipts tax on its purchase by patients. So, this week's question is:
"Should New Mexico tax medical marijuana?"
PAUL GESSING, president of the Rio Grande Foundation:
No, I'm against unnecessary tax hikes and this one is no different. As usual, potential savings abound in New Mexico's budget. For starters, since we are talking about drugs, the state could save $13.2 million annually by simply diverting non-violent offenders convicted of drug possession to probation through increased use of drug courts and mandatory treatment and work programs. The Rio Grande Foundation has outlined a variety of criminal justice-related reforms here.
Literally millions of additional dollars could be saved by simply addressing our state's bloated government workforce, costly Medicaid system, and by prudently reducing spending at all levels of government.
Besides, if marijuana is indeed essential medicine for thousands of New Mexicans, why in the world would we place such a prohibitive tax on it?
TERRI COLE, president and CEO, Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce:
Senator Sapien is a sensible guy and an impressive business leader. He needs to apply that good, sensible business experience to New Mexico's tax policy. All legislators, including the most sensible of the bunch, need to focus on consolidating government and cutting government before new tax increases are imposed on anything else. The best tax policy keeps taxation broad-based. The worst tax policy targets "this 'n that" which only creates an unstable and unfair taxation system. Medical marijuana falls in the "this 'n that" category of taxation. Let's get beyond bad tax policy. But first, cut government and consolidate services. There is a good chance that will do it.
JIM BACA, blogger, former director of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Albuquerque mayor, state land commissioner and recently retired natural resources trustee:
New Mexico should not tax any medicines, including marijuana. I wonder if any legislator would ever go out of their way to tax insulin. Not likely. So why marijuana?Well, it is a political populist thing to do. Having said that I do believe marijuana should be legalized and taxed for use other than medicine. That is realistic. Let's face it though. Neither of these ideas are going to fly.
News Hawk- Weedpipe 420 Magazine - Cannabis Culture News & Reviews
Source: The New Mexico Independent
Contact: New Mexico Independent
Copyright: © 2008-2009 The New Mexico Independent
Website:Taxing medical marijuana New Mexico Independent
