Repeal of Amendment 64 (recriminalize mj) failed in Colorado

[RainDog]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/07/amendment-64-repeal-fails_n_3229337.html

A last-minute effort by some Colorado lawmakers to repeal Amendment 64, which legalized marijuana for recreational use in the state last November, was abandoned late Monday night, dying on the calendar.

Sponsored by 24 senators including Senate President John Morse, Senate Concurrent Resolution 13-003 would have put two measures on the 2013 state ballot for voters to decide on regarding legal marijuana. First, voters would decide on the 15 percent excise tax and the 10 percent special sales tax rates, as outlined in House Bill 1318. If that measure failed, the second measure would ask voters if they wanted to halt recreational marijuana sales in the state.

The Denver Post's John Ingold reported that the resolution was introduced around 6 p.m., cleared a Senate committee less than an hour after it was introduced, but ultimately faced a midnight deadline for approval, a filibuster threat and nearly certain defeat in the House so Morse backed off of the plan around 9:30 p.m., Monday evening.

Morse says the repeal effort was just an attempt to get the attention of the marijuana industry and to encourage industry support for the marijuana taxes which will still be voted on in November. "Here is the inherent problem: The marijuana industry has no incentive to support a tax increase it promised voters," Morse said, The Associated Press reports.

[Mr. David]

1. The assholes who tried to repeal 64 will be hit hard, EXTREMELY hard.

losing their seats, jobs, finance, etc.

You do not fuck with Amendment 64. Period.

Oh, the tax issue? Prediction: failed this coming November.

Morse needs to stop going after the potheads and go after the oil & gas industry big time. Fracking is facing major lawsuits here in Colorado.

[think]

2. May the good people of Colorado show these fine politicians

the door....

[RainDog]

3. the article is pretty interesting

some people say they're afraid voters will not approve the 25% tax that will be part of recreational cannabis sales.

but they can only vote on such issues in even-year elections, so some claimed it was unconstitutional for CO lawmakers to even present the legislation.

maybe it was a bid by some in conservative districts to appear to oppose w/o having to deal with the consequences of actually repealing something voted on but not yet implemented.

In Arizona, in the 1990s, people voted for medical mj and the legislature overturned the vote. People in AZ had to vote in three different elections and also vote on legislation that would prohibit the legislator from overturning the vote to get their "representatives" to follow the will of the voters.

Since Polis is becoming a nationally-recognized political leader on this issue - and generating positive, progressive views of CO, I think he must have support among the state polical wonks. Plus the legislation in CO has avoided the free-for-all that has been CA's approach.

I do hope there are political consequences for those who are on the repeal wagon because that would send a big message to all state and federal pols that the issue has moved into mainstream consensus for liberalization.