Is there any state in America that doesn’t need more money for schools? I know here in Oregon schools are hurting, and I have to assume that every other state in America is also experiencing inadequate school budgets. Classes are overpopulated, teachers are overworked, and very few classrooms have a proper amount of school supplies. So a new significant funding source for schools should be welcomed across America. Fortunately for Colorado, they have one. Per the Huffington Post:
Legal marijuana in Colorado has already generated more than $15 million in tax revenue that is specifically earmarked for public schools, according to the latest data from the state’s Department of Education.
Since Jan. 1, 2014, when the state’s first retail marijuana shops opened, $15.6 million has been generated for the Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) grant program, said Scott Newell, director of the office of capital construction for the state’s Education Department. The marijuana funds for schools were generated via a special voter-approved 15 percent excise tax on marijuana sales.
Marijuana legalization creates jobs, allows law enforcement to focus on real crime, and in the case of Colorado, generates significant sums of money for schools. How many teachers can be hired for $15 million dollars? How many books does that buy? Consider the fact that the Colorado marijuana industry continues to grow, and that even more money will be generated in the next year compared to the last one. Why isn’t every state doing this?
