cannabisnews.com: Proponents' Greed Brought Hemp, Tax Cap Down Proponents' Greed Brought Hemp, Tax Cap Down Posted by FoM on November 09, 2000 at 08:15:02 PT By Gini Judd Source: Anchorage Daily News The results are in, and is anyone really surprised? Marijuana remains illegal by some considerable margin. The snowplows keep running and the schools keep teaching, by a margin rather less cushioned. The creators of the defeated initiatives snarl and shake their heads at the intransigence and stupidity of the voting populace. One wonders if either of these factions will look in a mirror and realize that, radically different as their issues were, they were both defeated by the same mistake. They got greedy. Moderately stated and intelligently crafted, either of these initiatives could have passed in landslide victories. Marijuana is a relatively benign (not to mention rather boring) intoxicant, and the volume of dollars pumped into its abatement are in no way defensible. Alaskans, being the sensible folk that they are, understand and appreciate that those dollars would gain more benefit in rehabilitation and education programs. Likewise, property owners looking to a future with lowered oil revenues would embrace some check on the burden they bear. Setting boundaries on the heights to which property taxes may rise -- and on the percentage of our income under the control of local government -- makes plenty of sense. Given these facts, any reasonable initiative to stem the flow of dollars into worthless drug enforcement, as well as out of the pockets of homeowners, would have been embraced by voters statewide. But, like the proverbial camel, the proponents of both these initiatives couldn't live with only a nose in the tent. The marijuana people demanded absolution the likes of which the Pope himself has never performed. The tax cap coalition turned into the no-tax coalition. And given an all-or-nothing choice, the voters of Alaska voted for "nothing." Good for them. One has to wonder why the tax cap proponents tried for a 44 percent reduction in property taxes, why the pro-hemp faction suggested pardon and restitution. The answer comes back to one word: greed. Both groups isolated themselves from real world considerations while they crafted their versions of Utopia. Starting from the notion that property taxes are growing at an unacceptable rate, the tax cap supporters then talked themselves out of any responsible initiative and into an unsupportable 44 percent reduction in current Anchorage tax levels. Tax-cappers imagined that the municipality's funds were somehow a treasure chest to be raided, ignoring the fact that these funds consist of retirement accounts and other dedicated monies. They also ignored the statewide implications of their avarice. Communities outside of Anchorage expressed alarm and dismay that once again their fate was in the hands of the big bully city. The rest of Alaska doesn't like Anchorage telling it what's best for the state. That arrogance cost them any chance of winning support. The pro-hemp folks suffered from an expanded string of logical conclusions leading them away from anything close to a supportable measure. The leap from legalization to pardon might be arguable, but restitution? Do you realize what that would cost? What were you smoke -- uh, never mind. And so they will limp away to lick their wounds and excoriate the general public for its shortsightedness. Will they recognize their own fault in the downfall of their plans? It's doubtful. Will they analyze their mistakes and work at crafting future initiatives that reflect more moderate goals? It will be a surprise if they do. One must fear that their hermetically sealed idealism, which does not allow for compromise, will prevent their entrance into realistic dialogue on these issues. And that's a pity. The issues do not lack merit, but the approach of their proponents all but guarantee their continuation as ideas whose time never comes. Gini Judd lives and writes here in Anchorage. Source: Anchorage Daily News (AK)Author: Gini JuddPublished: November 9, 2000Copyright: 2000 The Anchorage Daily News Contact: letters adn.com Website: http://www.adn.com/ Related Articles & Web Sites:Free Hemp in Alaskahttp://www.freehempinak.orgHemp 2000http://www.hemp2000.org Pot Fans Spottyhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7610.shtmlVoters Dump Pot Proposition 2-to-1http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7603.shtml END SNIP --> Snipped Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #2 posted by FoM on April 10, 2001 at 13:30:17 PT: News Brief from The Anchorage Daily News Hemp Group Launching Another Bid to Legalize Marijuana in Alaska Statewide Source: Anchorage Daily News (AK)Published: April 10, 2001Copyright: 2001 The Anchorage Daily News Contact: letters adn.com Website: http://www.adn.com/ A new initiative aimed at legalizing marijuana use is under way. Sponsors on Friday gathered at the state Division of Elections to turn in the 100 signatures necessary to launch a petition campaign. A similar initiative was rejected in November. If the initial filing passes the lieutenant governor's review, then sponsors must gather nearly 29,000 signatures to get the issue on next year's general election ballot. Al Anders of Free Hemp in Alaska said this proposal is simpler than the one voters rejected in November. It doesn't include an amnesty provision or a panel about restitution. Free Hemp in AlaskaAl Anders, Chair2603 Spenard RoadAnchorage, Alaska 99503 (907) 278-HEMP E-mail: freehempinak gci.netVisit: http://www.freehempinak.orgProponents' Greed Brought Hemp, Tax Cap Downhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7613.shtml FreedomToExhale [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by JR Bob Dobbs on December 10, 2000 at 09:34:31 PT Restitution >>The pro-hemp folks suffered from an expanded string of logical conclusions leading them away from anything close to a supportable measure. The leap from legalization to pardon might be arguable, but restitution? Do you realize what that would cost? What were you smoke -- uh, never mind. It would cost a year, maybe two's, worth of the billions spend on Drug War Enforcement. After that, we'd have the surplus money left over to give back to the homeowners. Hey, maybe the two groups need to work together!>>And so they will limp away to lick their wounds and excoriate the general public for its shortsightedness. Will they recognize their own fault in the downfall of their plans? It's doubtful. Will they analyze their mistakes and work at crafting future initiatives that reflect more moderate goals? It will be a surprise if they do. Prepare to be surprised in 2002. http://www.pot-tv.net/ [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: