Inslee to meet with U.S. attorney general on legal pot law
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - Gov. Jay Inslee said Thursday that he doesn't consider the extension of temporary taxes - as proposed by his predecessor - a tax increase and that the idea is one of many he is open to as the legislative budget process begins.
At his first official news conference as governor, Inslee said that while he's not proposing anything specific, he wants to give the Legislature "room to discuss this potential."
"I don't want to foreclose the possibility of those being on the table for discussion," he said. "I'm not proposing it right now. I think it's something that people are ultimately going to consider."
Last month, former Gov. Chris Gregoire proposed a budget that would extend taxes on beer and business taxes paid by doctors, lawyers, accountants and others.
Inslee, a Democrat, said he's not breaking his campaign promise eschewing taxes because he doesn't consider the extensions new taxes.
"These do not increase taxes," he said. "They do not raise taxes on people over the existing level that they are paying today."
But House Republicans' point person on the budget, Rep. Gary Alexander of Olympia, said his caucus considers extending taxes the same as a tax increase and oppose any move in that direction.
"We're hoping we can reach a budget solution that doesn't require any tax increases and that the governor will support it when we do," he said.
Inslee was sworn in Wednesday. He takes office facing a projected $900 million deficit for the next two-year budget ending in mid-2015.
That doesn't include money lawmakers will need to spend to improve funding for education as directed by the state Supreme Court earlier this year.
House Majority Leader Pat Sullivan, D-Covington, said that considering the large fiscal problem ahead of lawmakers, Inslee's clarified stance on extending temporary taxes "certainly makes it easier, if that's something we can consider as part of a solution."
"When you're looking at the range of options, that's one that makes some sense," he said.
At his first official news conference as governor, Inslee said that while he's not proposing anything specific, he wants to give the Legislature "room to discuss this potential."
"I don't want to foreclose the possibility of those being on the table for discussion," he said. "I'm not proposing it right now. I think it's something that people are ultimately going to consider."
Last month, former Gov. Chris Gregoire proposed a budget that would extend taxes on beer and business taxes paid by doctors, lawyers, accountants and others.
Inslee, a Democrat, said he's not breaking his campaign promise eschewing taxes because he doesn't consider the extensions new taxes.
"These do not increase taxes," he said. "They do not raise taxes on people over the existing level that they are paying today."
But House Republicans' point person on the budget, Rep. Gary Alexander of Olympia, said his caucus considers extending taxes the same as a tax increase and oppose any move in that direction.
"We're hoping we can reach a budget solution that doesn't require any tax increases and that the governor will support it when we do," he said.
Inslee was sworn in Wednesday. He takes office facing a projected $900 million deficit for the next two-year budget ending in mid-2015.
That doesn't include money lawmakers will need to spend to improve funding for education as directed by the state Supreme Court earlier this year.
House Majority Leader Pat Sullivan, D-Covington, said that considering the large fiscal problem ahead of lawmakers, Inslee's clarified stance on extending temporary taxes "certainly makes it easier, if that's something we can consider as part of a solution."
"When you're looking at the range of options, that's one that makes some sense," he said.
 Initially, I found it hard to care much about the grassroots movement to legalize pot â the right to get high with impunity seemed like a very trivial concern given the other issues facing the nation. But when one sees how the 'war on drugs' generates far bigger consequences than mere buzz suppression â from racist incarceration outcomes, to prison lobbies writing our laws, to the mass disenfranchisement of the felons convicted of marijuana possession, whose conviction prevents them from being allowed to vote â then the move toward decriminalization by two states seems urgently needed, and a model for others. In a case that highlights the growing clash between the federal government and those states that have legalized marijuana for medical or recreational use, the United States Justice Department indicted Mr. Davies six months ago on charges of cultivating marijuana, after raiding two State Legal, dispensaries and a warehouse with 2,000 medical marijuana plants. http://www.keepmattfree.org/ The United States attorney for the Eastern District of California, Benjamin B. Wagner, a 2009 Obama appointee, wants Mr. Davies to agree to a plea that includes a mandatory minimum of five years in prison. Americans should be able to conduct their affairs with certain knowledge that their actions are within the law or beyond it. The existing discordance between state and federal laws, which sows doubt and offends justice, is unacceptable.
The article just touches the pot issue (headline ONLY), but goes on to explain that Inslee
does not consider a tax extension to be a new tax. Those taxes are taxes that HIS party
sold to their constituents as temporary taxes with a definite expiration date. In essence
he is making his party out to be liars, but when it comes to taxes and this political
party stances on taxation, that should not be a surprise to anyone.
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Jay Inslee is correct in that it is not a NEW tax, but this tax extension simply reinforces
and confirms the concept that his political party has never has found a tax that they didn't
like.
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I am a retired politically independent that is tired of increased taxation as it eats away
at a basically fixed retirement income.
And were how many billions of dollars in debt in the state? Unemployment? It's all just a game for them
Here is the AP article:
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) â Gov. Jay Inslee and Attorney General Bob Ferguson will meet with U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder next week to discuss Washington state's voter-approved law legalizing the recreational use of marijuana.Inslee spokesman David Postman said Friday that the governor and Ferguson were meeting with Holder in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday. Postman said that Inslee will leave the state on Sunday to attend the inauguration of President Barack Obama.Postman said Inslee wants to discuss with Holder the implementation and enforcement of Initiative 502, which passed with 56 percent of the vote in November's election. It legalizes the possession of up to an ounce of marijuana and sets up a regulatory scheme of state-licensed marijuana growers, processers and retail stores. Marijuana is still illegal under federal law.Postman said that the meeting "is the beginning of a longer conversation."
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Nothing too interesting here.
Once they get the REAL story on this page.....I expect the Governor will remind AG Holder that the president got only about 20,000 more votes here in WA that did the I-502 measure. He'll probably also remind Holder that I 502 received several thousand more vote than he did in his victory getting elected governor. So unless Holder wants to see Jay "get smoked" in four years when he's up for re-election, it might be good to bend to the will of the people on this one.
Is the reporter high as a kite on pots? The story is actually about extending tax cuts and somehow pretending it not really a new tax. They should really do drug testing at the governors crib and press office.
This may go well. It looks like Inslee has lit one up a time or two.
They're geting together for a good ole fashion bong show.
Why does this headline state that "Inslee to meet with U.S. attorney general on legal pot law" but the whole article is on tax extensions, without one single mention of pot?
 @Tattooed_Angel When you smoke your attention span is the same as a Chipmunk. The writer just wander off the subject.
@al_wa Hey, I'm a smoker but I don't have attention span issues. In fact, I focus BETTER when I'm high than when I'm not. Maybe the writer of this article should have smoked a bowl first.
 @SandyBeach Your right, I am mad because I don't have a reefer.
 @al_wa Its reefer madness. Huh Al.
@al_wa Yup! Hidden under my mattress with all my other secretive items I don't want my kids to see. :)
 @Tattooed_Angel  @al_wa You did catch the lack of subject matter in the article, but do you remember where you left your bowl?
Legal Marijuana distribution: $50.00 an ounce. For every ounce sold (1/8's, 1/4's, 1/2's etc.) $25.00 for taxes, $12.50 for grower, $12.50 for retailer. Keeps the government happy. Keeps prices down so people aren't siphoning $100.00+ per week out of their budget and away from the family like is happening now. Probably frees up $50.00+ per week per family for toys, electronics, home upkeep, cars and spreads the savings around to truly stimulate the economy organically. Has built in taxes for Feds, once they come around. That would be half of the initial $25.00 per ounce tax. If you have ever watched the U.S. Farm Report, as a result of staying up all night waiting for Wile E. Coyote and the Roadrunner, you learn how crops are priced, per bushel basket. $3.72, $4.13, $5.25 etc. depending on crop and season. Now imagine the value of a bushel basket of cured buds. A bushel basket of buds is a LOT of bud, and worth WAY more than a few bucks per bushel. Lots of dollars per bushel for the economy and government debt. Can also be a big boost for treatment programs for the folks who are tired of being alcoholics and narcotic junkies. Also opens up line of communication with law enforcement community to weed out dangerous drug dealers without it becoming a snitching issue. We would be back on the same side of fighting crime in our neighborhoods, not at war with the cops any longer. Combine that with not paying for prosecutions and caging humans, money spent better elsewhere. Lots of dollars saved and earned.
 @BudGreen It will be taxed at all three levels, and I don't believe it's by the ounce. It's a percentage, 25% to be exact. The producer will sell at the price required to produce plus profit, that amount will be taxed 25%. The processor will sell at the price required to pay expenses, what it cost them in the first place, plus a mark up, plus a 25% tax. The retailer will then do the same, including another 25% tax. You won't see anything selling for less than it is now, except for that sold by bootleggers. I did a little figuring, I still see 250 to 300 an ounce at the retailer.
 @BudGreen $50??? That sounds really cheap. I figured that muc h would be more like 150-200.
 @SandyBeach  @BudGreen Actually more, unless they change the tax rate.
 Always deny that you smoke marijuana, don't let your vehicle smell like weed, and use plenty of your favorite eye drops (Visine, Murine, etc.) for nice clear eyes. Avoid incense! It just freaks out certain cops. Keep your weed, legal or not, out of sight. No "HIGHTIMES" mags in plain sight (personal experience). No 420 stickers, etc. on your ride. The alcohol related indicators, (pencil sweep test for jerky eyes and the balance test), won't work with weed. Personally, I have "0", (zero) balance when straight and can only do roof work or rock hop down the middle of creeks after consuming marijuana. Even the video game style tests used by a lot of transportation companies are WAY easier when under the influence of marijuana. And, go to NEVERGETBUSTED. com. They have a product to spray on weed that keeps it from smelling like weed when you burn it. Except for a few burnouts, marijuana heightens your awareness and safety factor. Law enforcement always talks about how many people test positive after accidents, but that is extremely deceptive without testing everyone on the road, accidents or not.  Â
I personally have high expectations that there will be some blunt conversations which will yield many good times to come....
Remember that 42% of the people who voted in the last election didn't buy into legalization of pot. It wasn't a landslide nor a mandate from the public. Â
 @Citizen#3457899654 Nope, what it was was democracy in action.  You remember Democracy right?  Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but either way you have to accept the result.  That's true for all of us.  When you don't accept the result, that is the opposite of democracy. Â
 @Citizen#3457899654
 I thought you were all about the will of the voters. Well the man elected by the majority of Washington voters is going to discuss the particularly touchy issue of legalization of marijuana, also approved by a majority of Washington voters. The will of the voters is being duly (and dually) represented.
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Or are you only ramped up about the will of the voters when they vote in your favor?
 @Citizen#3457899654 So what you're saying is that majority rules. OK. Time to go home and legally burn one.
 @Citizen#3457899654 And 47% of the American people voted for Mitt Romney for president.  Does that mean he should be living in the White House basement?
they should smoke a bowl together 1st, then start their meeting...
 @bartle_doo might increase the governors intelligence