Oregon Cannabis Tax Act Begins Gathering Signatures

Oregon will try once again to pass a legalization ballot measure. On Monday, a brand new initiative was kicked off in Portland as signature gatherers began the task of collecting 90,000 signatures by July 2012 for the measure to make it on Oregon ballots in November of 2012. Jennifer Alexander, the campaign’s manager was already hard at work collecting signatures at a Portland Mall on Monday. The chief petitioner, Paul Stanford, isn’t new to the ballot initiative. He has tried more than once in the past to put the question of legalization into the Oregon voter’s hands.

He hopes even the name of the new proposed legislation, The Oregon Cannabis Tax Act, will get voters to pay attention to the effort. If put on the ballot and passed, the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act would legalize marijuana for adults over 21 to buy at a state licensed store or grow it in Oregon.  Saving taxpayers’ money is the heart of the strategy this time around and the bills supporters believe that this time around, the message might work. Next year, Washington and California may have marijuana measures on their ballots as well. In Oregon, the bills supporters say that legalization could raise $140 million in taxes for Oregon while at the same time save $60 million in law enforcement costs.

The campaign will use paid petitioners along with volunteer petitioners and will use online resources as well to connect with the 90,000 voters they need to make the November 6th, 2012 ballot. Ninety percent of the proceeds from a marijuana tax will go into the state’s general fund. Seven percent will go into drug treatment and once percent  will go into drug eduction in public schools and two new state commissions to promote hemp biofuel and hemp fiber and food. To help the efforts, the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act will hold a series of three benefit concerts featuring Reggae music legends, Toots and the Maytals on 4th of July Weekend. To learn more about the initiative, how to become a signature gatherer or just how to sign the petition if you happen to be an Oregon voter, please visit their website, CannabisTaxAct.org