| Senator Rob Kane (R-32) is proposing
legislation to give municipalities a share of the state’s
marijuana and controlled substances tax revenues –
if they report drug arrests in their towns and cities
to the state Department of Revenue Services.
“We have had a marijuana and controlled substances
tax on the books since 1991, but the towns have little
incentive to utilize it. Under my proposal, municipalities
would get 40 percent of the revenues collected by the
state Department of Revenue Services as a result of
referring their drug arrests,” said Senator Kane.
Senator Kane recently testified in favor of his proposal,
SB 224 An Act Directing A Portion Of The Marijuana
And Controlled Substances Tax To Municipalities,
before the General Assembly’s Planning & Development
Committee. A municipality that reports a local drug
arrest would receive 40 percent of the drug tax revenues
collected as a result of that specific referral to the
state Department of Revenue Services.
Senator Kane said that providing municipalities a
share of drug tax revenues would give them a financial
incentive to step up their involvement in the war on
drugs. In addition, he said that his legislation would
provide the state with another way to financially help
Connecticut’s towns and cities.
“Due to the current economic climate, cities
and towns are being forced to make drastic cuts in their
budgets - sometimes slashing funding which would go
towards police, fire and other public safety services.
Even Governor Rell has suggested cuts to the resident
trooper program that some towns, especially in my district,
rely upon. As legislators, I believe it is our responsibility
to do everything we can to help the communities we represent
offset their costs. Passing this bill would be a small,
but effective, step towards fulfilling that obligation,”
said Senator Kane.
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