Senator Ronald L. Rice today released copies of a letter sent to Governor Phil Murphy, Senate President Stephen M. Sweeney (D-3) and Assembly Speaker Craig J. Coughlin (D-19) addressing what he described as unrealistic budget projections based on a flawed bundle of marijuana legislation that has stalled in the state Legislature.
“I’m sharing this letter with the public out of my sense of responsibility to the welfare of every citizen in New Jersey,” said Rice. “Our state leadership is banking on an unfounded $60 million revenue from the legalization of recreational marijuana. They are projecting that money into next year’s state budget, but have nothing in hand but wishful thinking.”
Rice said he attributes the bill’s collapse to legislators’ fear about legalization’s powerful potential to do mental, physical, economic and judicial harm to residents in New Jersey, warning that those at greatest risk are our state’s people of color, our disadvantaged, our urban communities and the suburban neighborhoods they border. “The only viable, realistic solution for both issues – budget revenue and social justice – is to decriminalize marijuana possession and use. By saving judicial and incarceration costs, decriminalization alone would add $140 million to our state budget,” said the veteran senator from Newark.