DENVER – Marijuana businesses pledged to lawmakers this year that they would be there to support a tax initiative in order to fund enough inspectors and regulators to keep the pot industry clean.
But until Wednesday night, the industry had contributed just $100 to the Proposition AA campaign. That compares to the $1.8 million raised in 2012 to legalize marijuana in Colorado.
The fundraising will change dramatically thanks to a $1,000-a-head event headlined by Gov. John Hickenlooper on Wednesday evening. At least 40 people – including many marijuana trade group lobbyists – appeared to be in attendance.
Still, with two weeks until ballots go out in the mail and just over a month to Election Day, the campaign both for and against the pot tax has been a low-dollar affair compared to last year’s campaign to legalize pot.
“The big difference is national money versus local money,” said Rick Ridder, head of the pro-Prop AA campaign.
The Marijuana Policy Project and other out-of-state groups supplied more than $1 million to the legalization campaign. They’re sitting out of the Prop AA race.
The measure seeks a 10 percent retail sales tax – which the Legislature can raise to 15 percent – along with a 15 percent wholesale excise tax on recreational marijuana. Most or all of the excise tax would go to school construction, while the sales tax would be used to fund the state’s marijuana enforcement division.
“We’re feeling generally very positive. We get good feedback on the streets,” Ridder said.
But at Wednesday’s fundraiser, Hickenlooper exhorted the crowd to do more and raise more money.
“I am always in any election nervous as a cat,” Hickenlooper said.
Neither side has paid for an opinion poll.
Opponents, also, have next to no money. The anti-Prop AA campaign had raised just $1,846 as of Monday.
But they are making up for it through “street theater” – namely, campaign events including passing out free joints as police officers watch.
Rob Corry, a leader of the anti-tax campaign, and several dozen pot activists gathered Wednesday outside Hickenlooper’s fundraiser at the Denver Beer Company. After a tense but respectful discussion with police officers about what the state’s marijuana laws do and don’t allow, Corry turned to the crowd.
“All right! Should we start handing out some free marijuana? That’s what we’re here for,” Corry said.
High taxes will force pot sales back into the black market, Corry said.
“It would be a horrible setback for what the voters wanted, which is a functioning market in marijuana. This would make it dysfunctional,” he said.
But proponents say that responsible pot businesses need the tax to make sure the industry is well regulated.
“I think it’s safe to say they’re an extreme minority,” said Brian Vicente, a leader of the pro-Prop AA campaign. “They’re sort of the tea party of this movement. They have an extreme view that in some ways risks bringing down the entire system.”
joeh@cortezjournal.com