WA: Taxes on Drug Dealers? Lawmaker Wants The Money

[IndianaToker]

By Curt Woodward, Associated Press
Source: Associated Press

Olympia, WA -- Betting that black-market cash can aid efforts to fight crime, a maverick Republican lawmaker is pushing a plan to fund police by taxing drug dealers. The illegal drug excise tax, patterned after measures adopted in nearly half the country, would set up a state system to distribute tax stamps for illegal drugs and alcohol.

Dealers busted with drugs or moonshine not bearing the stamps would be assessed the specific tax rates in addition to any criminal fees — ranging from $3.50 per gram of marijuana to $200 for each gram of cocaine.

"It's just our little way of saying 'Thank you' for bringing some money into the state, even though you do it the wrong way, said the measure's sponsor, Rep. Tom Campbell, R-Roy.
"It's my little way of righting a wrong, I guess."

The more controversial part of Campbell's plan, however, may be how the taxes are spent: he hopes the proceeds can pay for a new statewide detective agency carved from
the Washington State Patrol.

That measure, which essentially would restrict the state's bowtied top cops to traffic duty, is drawing lukewarm reaction from the politically respected agency.
Patrol officials haven't yet taken a public position on the measure, but the agency's leaders do believe the state needs more police investigators, said Capt. Jeff DeVere, the patrol's top spokesman.

"We're in the top 10 for identity theft, auto theft, as well as methamphetamines. And we're 50th in the nation with regard to police officers per population," DeVere said.

Campbell said his plan would tap into the patrol's existing crime expertise, likely transferring its roster of investigators and specialists to the new Washington Bureau of Investigation.

The bureau would operate on a par with the State Patrol and a new fire protection office,
which also would be split from the patrol's oversight.

A new appointed public safety director would be in charge of all three agencies.

The statewide detective agency would focus on drugs, organized crime, identity theft and public corruption cases. It also would assist local police, operate a forensics lab and maintain the state criminal information system.

Campbell hopes the agency could reap large rewards from the proposed drug tax, which sends three quarters of its proceeds to police agencies that bust dealers.

Both measures are due for their initial public hearings this week.
"It really bothers me when I see how much it costs to put somebody in jail, and we have to pay for their attorney and all this," Campbell said.

Activists for drug policy reform say the plan is foolhardy, and won't generate much money for the state.

Roger Goodman, director of the drug policy project for the King County Bar Association, said drug taxes are mainly a "a nice symbolic gesture — 'We're going to make the drug dealers pay.'

"But we're beyond the rhetoric now. We can't afford this tough talk. We need to have more smart strategy."

Allen St. Pierre, executive director of marijuana-legalization group NORML, said seeing the proposal surface in Washington is surprising — the state is one of a handful that allow doctors to prescribe marijuana, and Seattle voters have instructed police to make pot possession their lowest priority.

"It may be well-intentioned," St. Pierre said. "In fact, when the grist is examined in the millstone, it is just bad public policy."

Complete Title: Taxes on Drug Dealers? Lawmaker Wants The Money for Cops
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The drug tax bill is HB2448. The state patrol bill is HB2472.
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On the Net:
NORML: http://www.norml.org/
Legislature: http://www.leg.wa.gov
State patrol: http://www.wsp.wa.gov
Drug Policy Project: http://www.kcba.org/druglaw/
Link to article: http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread21487.shtml

[TheColonel]

Activists for drug policy reform say the plan is foolhardy

Well thats an understatement.

If i was a drugdealer, i sure as hell wouldnt incriminate myself trying to get the damn stamps, so its a catch 22 if your ass got nabbed by the po.

Legalize it, tax it, and then it will be something worthwhile that will lower organized crime, and generate way more revenue than some bullshit attempt like this.

[IndianaToker]

News Story
Source: TMCNet

Olympia, WA -- Crime doesn't pay? Well, Tom Campbell thinks it ought to. The Republican state lawmaker wants to start taxing drug dealers. Legislation he introduced this week would require dealers and users to pay taxes on their illicit inventories by purchasing state tax stamps for all cocaine, heroin, pills, other drugs and bootleg liquor intended for sale in Washington.

"Upon payment of the tax, the dealer shall permanently affix the appropriate stamps to the unauthorized substance," legislative researchers said in an analysis of Campbell's proposal. In fact, the money would go into a special new "Unauthorized Substances Tax Account" in the state treasury.

Under the measure, the use, sale and possession of illicit drugs would remain against the law. But any dealer, mule or user caught with untaxed drug stashes would face even greater penalties and would be obligated to pay the tax.

Although it might sound silly, other states are using a similar approach with mixed results.

And while no one believes drug dealers will begin lining up to buy tax stamps if the measure is approved, it would give the state greater leverage in quickly laying claim to any cash that dealers have in their possession when taken into police custody. Most of the tax revenue would be given to the state and local law enforcement agencies that made the arrests.

The state's defense lawyers association says the bill is probably unconstitutional, wouldn't deter drug use, and wouldn't raise much money.

As things stand now, Campbell told a House committee this week, hardworking taxpayers pick up the tab for drug crimes, courts, prosecution and property damage.

"This bill is quite simple: The perpetrator pays," he said. "It's a very simple concept; it's not complicated. If you appreciate the concept that they do cost us a lot of money, I think this is one way to kind of level the playing field a little bit."

Campbell said the idea came from North Carolina, which passed a similar law in 1989 and gets about $6 million a year in taxes on contraband. Tennessee has done the same thing, he said, netting about $2 million a year.

"It's been somewhat of a success," said Campbell, R-Roy.

The bill even includes specific tax rates, ranging from 40 cents per gram for marijuana


stems and stalks to $50 per gram for cocaine.
The tax is payable within 48 hours of a person getting the drug, with exceptions for Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays. If illegal drugs are found without the tax stamps, the owner would be assessed the taxes, fines and penalties, in addition to whatever drug charges they'd face.

Three-quarters of the money would go to state and local law enforcement. The rest would go into the state's general fund and could be used for anything.
Among those unhappy with the bill: the American Civil Liberties Union and the Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

The tax won't raise much money, will keep violators in expensive prison cells even longer, and does nothing for drug treatment, defense attorney Kim Gordon told lawmakers.
Already, she said, drug defendants are assessed jail costs, court costs, lab fees, restitution and defense costs.

"They are assessed and assessed and assessed, and many of these costs are never paid," she said. "They have nothing left to give."

Rep. John Ahern, R-Spokane, nonetheless likes the bill.

"In some countries, such as Thailand, just the mere possession of drugs could get you executed, if not life imprisonment," he told Gordon. "Wouldn't you say, under those circumstances, that this is really a pretty lenient bill?"

"I wouldn't defend Thailand's approach to drug crime," she said, repeating her call for treatment.

"There are ways of dealing with the drug problem," she said, "and this isn't the responsible way to do it."

At a glance:

Proposed drug taxes

* 40 cents a gram for pot stems and stalks.

* $3.50 a gram for pot leaves.

* $50 for each gram of cocaine.

* $5 a dose for hallucinogens, stimulants, depressants and other drugs sold by weight, such as methamphetamine.

* $20 a dose for those not sold by weight.

* $31.70 per gallon of moonshine sold by the drink.

* $12.80 a gallon if the bootleg booze is sold in bulk.

Complete Title: State Tax on Illegal Drugs Sought: Sponsor Says Idea Came from 1989 North Carolina Law

Source: TMCNet (U.S. Web)
Published: January 20, 2006
Copyright: 2006 Technology Marketing Corp.
Contact: tmc@tmcnet.com
Website: http://www.tmcnet.com/
Link to article: http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread21501.shtml

[TheColonel]

the bill is probably unconstitutional

Not like its anything new in the post 9/11 world...

[Jackattack]

They should also sell drugs at the same office you buy you stamps at. Imagine how much money they would make and how cool it would be!