PROPONENTS' GREED BROUGHT HEMP, TAX CAP DOWN

VOICES FROM THE COMMUNITY

The results are in, and is anyone really surprised? Marijuana remains
illegal by some considerable margin. The snowplows keep running and the
schools keep teaching, by a margin rather less cushioned. The creators of
the defeated initiatives snarl and shake their heads at the intransigence
and stupidity of the voting populace. One wonders if either of these
factions will look in a mirror and realize that, radically different as
their issues were, they were both defeated by the same mistake.

They got greedy.

Moderately stated and intelligently crafted, either of these initiatives
could have passed in landslide victories. Marijuana is a relatively benign
(not to mention rather boring) intoxicant, and the volume of dollars pumped
into its abatement are in no way defensible.

Alaskans, being the sensible folk that they are, understand and appreciate
that those dollars would gain more benefit in rehabilitation and education
programs. Likewise, property owners looking to a future with lowered oil
revenues would embrace some check on the burden they bear. Setting
boundaries on the heights to which property taxes may rise -- and on the
percentage of our income under the control of local government -- makes
plenty of sense.

Given these facts, any reasonable initiative to stem the flow of dollars
into worthless drug enforcement, as well as out of the pockets of
homeowners, would have been embraced by voters statewide. But, like the
proverbial camel, the proponents of both these initiatives couldn't live
with only a nose in the tent. The marijuana people demanded absolution the
likes of which the Pope himself has never performed. The tax cap coalition
turned into the no-tax coalition.

And given an all-or-nothing choice, the voters of Alaska voted for
"nothing."

Good for them.

One has to wonder why the tax cap proponents tried for a 44 percent
reduction in property taxes, why the pro-hemp faction suggested pardon and
restitution. The answer comes back to one word: greed.

Both groups isolated themselves from real world considerations while they
crafted their versions of Utopia.

Starting from the notion that property taxes are growing at an unacceptable
rate, the tax cap supporters then talked themselves out of any responsible
initiative and into an unsupportable 44 percent reduction in current
Anchorage tax levels. Tax-cappers imagined that the municipality's funds
were somehow a treasure chest to be raided, ignoring the fact that these
funds consist of retirement accounts and other dedicated monies. They also
ignored the statewide implications of their avarice. Communities outside of
Anchorage expressed alarm and dismay that once again their fate was in the
hands of the big bully city. The rest of Alaska doesn't like Anchorage
telling it what's best for the state. That arrogance cost them any chance of
winning support.

The pro-hemp folks suffered from an expanded string of logical conclusions
leading them away from anything close to a supportable measure. The leap
from legalization to pardon might be arguable, but restitution? Do you
realize what that would cost? What were you smoke -- uh, never mind.

And so they will limp away to lick their wounds and excoriate the general
public for its shortsightedness. Will they recognize their own fault in the
downfall of their plans? It's doubtful. Will they analyze their mistakes and
work at crafting future initiatives that reflect more moderate goals? It
will be a surprise if they do.

One must fear that their hermetically sealed idealism, which does not allow
for compromise, will prevent their entrance into realistic dialogue on these
issues.

And that's a pity. The issues do not lack merit, but the approach of their
proponents all but guarantee their continuation as ideas whose time never
comes.