A non-partisan couple of former Colorado governors have supported a proposed initiative to increase cannabis taxes to pay for additional tuition and services to help students offset academic losses suffered during the coronavirus pandemic, the Associated Press reports. The campaign behind the proposal, Learning Opportunities for Colorado’s Kids, announced the approval of former Governors Bill Ritter (D) and Bill Owens (R) on Wednesday.
The campaign – I-25 – requires 250,000 signatures by August 2 to be presented to the electorate. The proposal would complement a plan proposed by Democratic Governor Jared Polis that would serve the state’s low-income students and those who have fallen behind through the creation of the Colorado Learning Authority. The new office in the Ministry of Education is designed to support children aged 5 to 17 with English language learning, extracurricular tutoring, special needs education, mental health services and vocational training.
To pay for the program, the initiative would increase the state’s cannabis excise tax from 15% to 20% by 2024. It is expected to raise over $ 137 million. The initiative can raise additional funds from rents on state land and possibly from external sources. Currently, adult cannabis in Colorado has a 2.9% state sales tax on top of the 15% excise tax, but the funds can only be used to build and maintain schools, the report said.
In addition to the approval of former governors, the initiative is supported by Democratic and Republican lawmakers and a variety of service and education organizations that serve black and Latin American children.
Papa Dia, executive director of the Aurora-based African Leadership Group, said the initiative will help improve the playing field and improve those for whom there are too few options.
“With LEAP, we can reduce the gap in opportunities between rich and poor, between students from homes where English is not spoken as their first or primary language, and between those who attend high-performing schools and those who don’t.” Papa Dia in a statement
In particular, the AP notes that the Colorado cannabis industry is “cautious” about the tax hike and has raised concerns about the hike that is fueling the state’s unregulated cannabis market. In April, Colorado raised over $ 25 million in excise tax revenue from over $ 166 million in adult cannabis sales, according to the AP.
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Luke Barfield
Lukas is a freelance medical cannabis writer and activist who lives in Tacoma. When he’s not writing about cannabis or working to bring a better medical cannabis system to Washington, he likes to hang up, do adaptive sports, and volunteer in his Tacoma community. He supports national legalization and the opening of the medical cannabis market in all 50 states.