The Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, said that supporting the Proposition 19 for marijuana legalization in the November state ballot on the assumption that it will generate additional revenue for the state is incorrect. It is correct to say that it might not generate billions in new tax revenue immediately because it takes time to establish a regulated system of sales. Proposition 19 is a good policy that could solve part of budget crisis.
Schwarzenegger also said that passing Proposition 19 would make California a laughingstock. The governor earlier has called for a public debate on marijuana legalization and the debate is on at present. Governor’s comment at this juncture indicates that Californians supporting marijuana legalization are silly people.
Proposition 19 is widely supported by – labor unions, civil rights advocates, law enforcement and community groups. Everybody knows that marijuana prohibition has miserably failed. California is becoming a joke because of the inability of Sacramento to manage the state; they could not even pass a budget this year. The voters are ready to challenge the status quo on this issue.
The advantages of Proposition 19 are – increase in jobs and tax revenue and waste reduction associated with 60,000 low-level marijuana possession arrests every year. This necessitates scarce law enforcement resources to be used on non-productive work instead of attending to public safety.
One thing what Schwarzenegger said was right. That is about de-linking drug legalization and funding education/ elderly care. What is required is the correct prioritization of the funds available.
Sacramento has not been making the right choices regarding drug policy. They have been reducing the budget for community-based alcohol and drug treatment programs. The governor has even suggested elimination of Medical facility for drug treatment.
On the other hand, lots of Californians were sent to prison for petty drug offences and this costs $50,000 per person per year. At present 24,000 people are housed in state prison for drug possession. At the same time funding for treatment in communities and behind bars is gutted. Such lopsided priorities have to be stopped by Sacramento.
The governor must allow the voters to decide on marijuana legalization and set right his priorities on budget allocation.
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Hayden Dossous says: 
