LAWMAKERS CAUTIOUSLY WEIGH IN ON MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION BILL

The North Coast's state representatives are cautious about a bill to
legalize marijuana, despite a state agency's analysis that regulation
could result in billions of dollars in new revenue from marijuana sales taxes.

The California State Board of Equalization released a legislative
analysis last week, estimating that the state would collect up to
$1.38 billion in new revenue from taxing and regulating the sale of marijuana.

The legislation, introduced by Assembly member Tom Ammiano, D-San
Francisco, last month, is titled Marijuana Control, Regulation, and
Education act, or

AB 390, and would tax and regulate marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol.

The board based the revenue estimate on reports that indicate
Californians consume about one million pounds a year, or 16 million
ounces. The agency predicts $990 million from the proposed $50 per
ounce levy on retail sales of marijuana, plus $392 million in sales
tax revenues.

The bill would create a regulatory structure similar to that already
in place for beer, wine and liquor, permitting taxed sales to adults
while barring sales to, or possession by, those under 21.

Quintin Mecke, a spokesman for Ammiano, said the revenue numbers are
not the main focus of the assemblymember's bill, but rather just "the
icing on the cake.

"While economics is one particular reason, it's certainly not the
driving force," Mecke said. "There's widespread agreement that the
war on drugs in regard to the prohibition of marijuana has thoroughly failed."

Although North Coast Assemblyman Wesley Chesbro, D-Arcata, was
unavailable for comment, his spokesman Andrew Bird said the bill is
in such preliminary stages that the office is not ready to address it.

"This bill is not something we are really focused on right now
because it hasn't even moved out of its first committee hearing," he
said, adding that Chesbro's focus right now is dominated by the
state's budget and his own legislation.

The first hearing was canceled by Ammiano in order to allow more time
to work on the legislation, which will now be a two-year bill,
according to Mecke. He said he expects a hearing sometime this fall.

North Coast State Sen. Patricia Wiggins, D-Santa Rosa, said she
applauds Ammiano for introducing it.

"This is a discussion that's long overdue, one that I think has
merits even outside the context of the current budget crisis," she
said. "We've heard estimates about how much money this could raise,
and while it's hard to know how close to the mark those estimates
are, my staff have heard from police and sheriff officials from
throughout my district who say decriminalization would also allow
them to devote more of their time and resources to more pressing law
enforcement matters."

Wiggins said it is unclear whether the bill will actually pass or
when, but she expects more feedback from local Humboldt County
agencies after hearings on the bill begin.

"Their perspectives will help put the issues raised by AB 390 in
their proper context. The governor has, at times, appeared open to
having this kind of discussion, but the true test will come once
public attention to this matter has intensified," she said.