Gov. Brad Little of Idaho, who’s in his second time period, staunchly opposes marijuana legalization. In an emailed assertion, Mr. Little, a Republican, mentioned that “legalization of marijuana triggers numerous unintended consequences.”
But some native politicians in Idaho have begun to contemplate the economics of the problem.
Patrick Bageant, a Boise councilman, mentioned the necessity for different types of tax income was more and more pressing.
“Legalizing marijuana can help bring in different forms of cash,” Mr. Bageant mentioned. “Just look around the country — we as a state should be more forward-looking.”
Adam Watkins, a software program engineer and a constituent of Mr. Bageant’s, has lived within the metropolis’s West End neighborhood for the previous decade. His dwelling worth has doubled since 2018, when he paid $3,200 in property taxes; now he pays near $4,200.
“You look around at other states that have legalized marijuana decades ago, when it comes to medical marijuana, and you just cannot help but think, why are we so backward on this issue?” mentioned Mr. Watkins, who helps legalization for philosophical and monetary causes.
“This is a drug with proven health effects, and we are just leaving this issue to other states to solve,” he added. “We are turning blindly, like this is not an issue, when it clearly is.”
Back in Ontario on a latest afternoon, pink, white and blue license plates emblazoned with the phrase “Scenic Idaho” lined the car parking zone of Treasure Valley Cannabis. (A federal legislation prohibits transporting marijuana between states.)
Source: www.nytimes.com