Weed all about it!
New York State officials have reached a deal to legalize marijuana, legislative sources told The Post Wednesday – just hours after Governor Andrew Cuomo called it “essential” to the state’s social and economic well-being.
The reform measures will be incorporated into the laws passed on April 1 as part of the state budget, the sources said
The deal would allow New Yorkers to legally buy and own up to three ounces of pots and even grow plants for personal use, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Plans call for a 9 percent state tax on retail sales that could generate $ 300 million a year in new revenue, the Journal said.
According to the report, cities, towns and villages could levy an additional 4 percent sales tax or choose not to allow local sales and deliveries.
The deal reportedly includes the creation of a new government agency, the Office of Cannabis Management, to obtain grower, retail, supply and on-site consumption licenses, and it was unclear when they could actually start.
Unresolved issues include how the tax money would be distributed and oversight of the agency, which Cuomo wanted to control, the Journal said.
Under the proposed legislation, the agency would be accountable to a five-member council with three government-appointed individuals and one each selected by the Senate and the People’s Assembly respectively, State Senator Liz Kreuger and other people familiar with the plan said. the magazine.
At a press conference earlier Thursday, Cuomo said he made marijuana legalization a top priority in budget negotiations with lawmakers.
“We have to get it done this year, and it’s essential to get it done by the time the budget is exceeded,” he said.
“Cannabis is not just social justice, it is also revenue for the state.”