Folks who hoped marijuana legalization would go away have had a rude awakening. The victories in Washington and Colorado make the headlines, but the 46 percent yes vote in Oregon for a ridiculous legalization plan is the big shock. Voters are desperate for change.
Oregon’s Measure 80 had no taxes. It would have set up a state monopoly, run by a Cannabis Commission, to set prices — and maybe transfer revenue from the industry to the state. But five of the Commission’s seven members would have been elected by licensed growers and processors, with little interest in sharing profits. From a revenue perspective, that’s a joke. But lots of people voted for it.
The Center for New Revenue 