Arizona's Marijuana-Legalization Measure, Prop 205, Picks Up Pace in New Poll
Published on 10/13/16
Proposition 205 is Arizona's chance to legalize a recreational marijuana program next month, and while the opposition would have you believe it has no chance, the initiative is actually gaining traction. If passed, the initiative would allow adults over 21 to possess and grow cannabis, as well as purchase it from a retail shop. Those hoping to halt the legal marijuana movement have funded misleading polls and spent millions to slander Proposition 205 with false ads. But despite their best efforts and private financial backing, the odds are on the side of progress as more young liberal voters are expected to take part in this year's presidential election, voters who would likely also support marijuana legalization.
For instance, one ARDP ad claims that Denver schools get "nothing" from marijuana taxes, but it's not true, according to Denver Public Schools. A video by the school district explains that Denver doesn't get the tens of millions in marijuana state-tax money, which mainly goes to rural school districts, but that Denver schools do get a small amount of funding from city-level marijuana taxes.
The implication, of course, is that Arizona would also get "nothing" from taxing a substance more than 600,000 Arizonans 21 and older already use regularly. In fact, the state's own budget analysts predict that Prop 205 would rake in at least $124 million annually in taxes and fees by 2020