New York Governor Andrew Cuomo unveiled a proposal on Wednesday to legalize adult-use cannabis in the Empire State, which could add a much-needed source of tax revenue amid the financial devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic. The plan was announced as part of Cuomo's annual State of the State address.
Another revenue stream that will be pushed by Cuomo is the legalization of recreational marijuana, which was expected to eventually generate more than $300 million in tax revenue.
“The governor’s proposal builds on years of work to understand and decriminalize cannabis for adult use,” the Cuomo administration said in a statement.
“Decades of cannabis prohibition have failed to achieve public health and safety goals and have led to unjust arrests and convictions particularly in communities of color.”
Marijuana legalization is an inevitability in New York, a top senator said on Monday, adding that the push is being bolstered by voter approval of cannabis reform next door in New Jersey.
Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D) said during a press briefing that “it’s not so much a matter of if, it’s a matter of when and it’s a matter of how” the state legalizes marijuana for adult use.
COVID-19 might not be the only new strain to hit New York.
State lawmakers are making a fresh push to legalize pot and expand sports betting, saying tax income from the vices can help fill a gaping budget hole widened by the coronavirus.
Democratic state Sens. Jessica Ramos, Brad Hoylman and Jamaal Bailey — representing Queens, Manhattan and the Bronx & Mount Vernon respectively — teamed up with the Legal Aid Society on Thursday to urge state lawmakers to legalize recreational marijuana.
In very disappointing news for Empire State marijuana aficionados, it seems as if the legalization of the recreational form of the drug is off the table for now. On Tuesday, the Democrat and Chronicle in Rochester, New York, reported that Gov. Andrew Cuomo said it was "not likely" that the authorization of legal marijuana would be included in the state's upcoming budget. This will effectively kill it for now.
Last year, Gov. Andrew Cuomo promised voters New York would legalize adult-use marijuana in the state. He announced the intention like it was a foregone conclusion. Those following closely know New York didn’t legalize last year, but Cuomo is again making the same promises while doing a little more work to ensure it happens this time around.
Cuomo announced he would be taking trips to California, Colorado, Illinois and Massachusetts, all states where cannabis is legal for recreational use, to educate himself as he pushes for legalization.
The governor said he will meet with officials in those states to discuss what worked and what didn’t work during the lead up to the legalization of marijuana.
Cuomo has previously stated he wants legalization passed by state officials before April 1, when the state budget must be approved.
Cannabis advocates are cautiously optimistic that 2020 will be the year that New York state finally legalizes marijuana for adult recreational use, marking a milestone for the legal business.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo has included legalization in his budget proposal for the new fiscal year, projecting it could generate $20 million in revenue in fiscal 2021, growing to $63 million by fiscal 2022 and $188 million by fiscal 2025.
Passage of such legislation is not a sure thing, however.
New Yorkers have heard this one before. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced this week marijuana legalization will be included in his administration’s 2020 budget proposal. The move signals another ardent effort from the governor to push the issue through the state legislature.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) included marijuana legalization in his budget proposal on Tuesday, setting the stage for another reform push in the legislature as the 2020 session gets underway. The move comes as a new poll shows that voter support for ending cannabis prohibition is at its highest level ever in the state.