Pot town: Decker, MT

[gouch]

I don't know why anyone would think pot taxes would solve any budgetary problems in a state. Here in Oregon the pot tax revenue for the state is around 147 million dollars. Pretty good but compared to the 330 million dollars the cigarette tax brings in, it's pretty modest. The two combined don't even reach the 630 million dollars alcohol taxes bring in.

When you look at the 157 billion dollar state budget the three combined add up to less than 1% of the revenue.

Why do they call them dispensaries anyway? It made sense when it was only for medical uses but now they should come up with something a little more clever, like pot shop, head shop or maybe Joint Joint. Dispensaries are a place sick people go.

 

[Gellar]

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Is he saying that TU wants to move that money to the general fund because it’s easier to pay for “conservation” on private stretches of blue ribbon trout stream that is accessed by wealthy individuals? And also that members of the TU national organization are elitists belonging to those private clubs?

 

[Gellar]

I don't know why anyone would think pot taxes would solve any budgetary problems in a state. Here in Oregon the pot tax revenue for the state is around 147 million dollars. Pretty good but compared to the 330 million dollars the cigarette tax brings in, it's pretty modest. The two combined don't even reach the 630 million dollars alcohol taxes bring in.

When you look at the 157 billion dollar state budget the three combined add up to less than 1% of the revenue.

Why do they call them dispensaries anyway? It made sense when it was only for medical uses but now they should come up with something a little more clever, like pot shop, head shop or maybe Joint Joint. Dispensaries are a place sick people go.

i don’t think the intention is ever to fund the entire state budget with lotteries or taxes on marijuana but to offset expenses for departments that the current budget cannot support without increasing other taxes. The problem occurs when jealous politicians, department heads and large corporations see how big the pie is and they haven’t gotten their piece.

 

[Benfromalbuquerque]

I drive through a Reservation in upstate New York on my way to my lease. We counted 37 dispensaries on the main street. Several offer a drive- through window!!

Iroquois have been profiting off the whitey for hundreds of years. Savvy natives.

 

[WyoCoalMiner]

It blows my mind that weed isn't socially/legally acceptable in places where booze is sold in every corner store, gas station, Walmart, grocery store, etc.

I think it is socially acceptable damn near everywhere. Was tailgating in Laramie at a UW game last month and the use of it was obvious to anyone with a nose. No one cared. Was in a bar in a Wyoming town of 1,200 on Sunday with an unusually high number of Packers fans. Every time a group stepped out to smoke, it was clear what they were smoking when the re-entered. No one cared.

 

[jimh406]

If I remember correctly, Montana voted to allow marijuana sales to fund natural resources? How is that working?

I don’t do pot, and don’t care. I doubt it’s worse than alcohol.

I think it’s a shame that you can be in a border state and break a law.

 

[SaskHunter]

I think it is socially acceptable damn near everywhere. Was tailgating in Laramie at a UW game last month and the use of it was obvious to anyone with a nose. No one cared. Was in a bar in a Wyoming town of 1,200 on Sunday with an unusually high number of Packers fans. Every time a group stepped out to smoke, it was clear what they were smoking when the re-entered. No one cared.

Someone cared enough to start a thread about pot shops. My point is, there are plenty of people who indulge... a lot... in alcohol, who oppose weed. I meet people like that here all the time and pot's been legal for years here.

 

[SAJ-99]

Someone cared enough to start a thread about pot shops. My point is, there are plenty of people who indulge... a lot... in alcohol, who oppose weed. I meet people like that here all the time and pot's been legal for years here.

People judge others. It helps them ignore their flaws and feel superior, if only for a moment.

Now, back to bashing the guy asking for help with a crossbow purchase...

 

[SaskHunter]

Now, back to bashing the guy asking for help with a crossbow purchase...

Gross.

Crossbow hunting, not the bullying part.

 

[Gellar]

People judge others. It helps them ignore their flaws and feel superior, if only for a moment.

Now, back to bashing the guy asking for help with a crossbow purchase...

I find it mostly laughable that some of these politicians who are voting no for the legal use of marijuana are doing so while they are routinely doing much more nefarious acts.

 

[Forkyfinder]

Is he saying that TU wants to move that money to the general fund because it’s easier to pay for “conservation” on private stretches of blue ribbon trout stream that is accessed by wealthy individuals? And also that members of the TU national organization are elitists belonging to those private clubs?

Yes to your first question, ish. No to your second. Thats just my opinion, though....

Lots of people believe in endless taxpayer handouts, or smoke screens for money, for private land "conservation" if you can call it that. I cant recall a trout person advocating for dams.

Im crazy though, on taxes, i guess. I think lobbyists running lobbying businesses should pay taxes.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Yes to your first question, ish. No to your second. Thats just my opinion, though....

Lots of people believe in endless taxpayer handouts, or smoke screens for money, for private land "conservation" if you can call it that. I cant recall a trout person advocating for dams.

Im crazy though, on taxes, i guess. I think lobbyists running lobbying businesses should pay taxes.

You're also misinformed.

1.) TU has been a proponent of water storage for decades, both nationally and at the state level in every state I've seen them work. Perhaps if you don't recall this, it's because you haven't been involved or paying attention to the issue.

2.) The GO Trust put $10 million of general fund dollars into the water storage trust which applies only to state owned (DNRC) dams. No private water impoundments are included. This funding is to be used to maintain, improve and extend those facilities as well as help pay for new storage as needed. This for places like reservoirs that people boat and fish at such as Willow Creek, Newlin, Tongue River, etc.

3.) Everyone agreed to the 4% for water in HB 932. That was part of the issue in terms of finalizing support for the bill from the Governor's office. TU didn't ask for it, but they'd be fools to turn it down. That funding will help the GO trust section. There's a recently concluded (and well earned) victory lap from MWF, WM, BHA, Mountain Mamas celebrating their win.

4.) Every dollar of public monies spent for conservation is accounted for and that info is out for public knowledge. For example - Future Fisheries. Also, given Montana's stream access laws, most of the places that future fisheries work occurs likely already have access as channels to the mainstem (FF is primarily used to restore spawning tributaries, as well as help provide monitoring of that work).

5.) Non-profits that are listed as 501 (C)(3)'s can spend up to 10 or 15% of their yearly budget on direct lobbying efforts. For MTTU, their annual budget is over 1.2 million per year. They could easily hire 2 full-time lobbyists to constantly lobby and not hit that cap. If you are going to claim that an entity is breaking the law, then you better have the receipts because you clearly are intending to harm their reputation.

6.) Lobbyists who have their own firms pay taxes just like any other LLC or S-Corp. For example, I just paid my quarterlies (early).

If you want to engage in the debate, get some facts instead of half-assed political rhetoric.

 

[Forkyfinder]

You're also misinformed.

1.) TU has been a proponent of water storage for decades, both nationally and at the state level in every state I've seen them work. Perhaps if you don't recall this, it's because you haven't been involved or paying attention to the issue.

2.) The GO Trust put $10 million of general fund dollars into the water storage trust which applies only to state owned (DNRC) dams. No private water impoundments are included. This funding is to be used to maintain, improve and extend those facilities as well as help pay for new storage as needed. This for places like reservoirs that people boat and fish at such as Willow Creek, Newlin, Tongue River, etc.

3.) Everyone agreed to the 4% for water in HB 932. That was part of the issue in terms of finalizing support for the bill from the Governor's office. TU didn't ask for it, but they'd be fools to turn it down. That funding will help the GO trust section. There's a recently concluded (and well earned) victory lap from MWF, WM, BHA, Mountain Mamas celebrating their win.

4.) Every dollar of public monies spent for conservation is accounted for and that info is out for public knowledge. For example - Future Fisheries. Also, given Montana's stream access laws, most of the places that future fisheries work occurs likely already have access as channels to the mainstem (FF is primarily used to restore spawning tributaries, as well as help provide monitoring of that work).

5.) Non-profits that are listed as 501 (C)(3)'s can spend up to 10 or 15% of their yearly budget on direct lobbying efforts. For MTTU, their annual budget is over 1.2 million per year. They could easily hire 2 full-time lobbyists to constantly lobby and not hit that cap. If you are going to claim that an entity is breaking the law, then you better have the receipts because you clearly are intending to harm their reputation.

6.) Lobbyists who have their own firms pay taxes just like any other LLC or S-Corp. For example, I just paid my quarterlies (early).

If you want to engage in the debate, get some facts instead of half-assed political rhetoric.

I wasnt referring to TU.

I am aware of conservation work they have done.

 

[Ben Lamb]

I wasnt referring to TU.

I am aware of conservation work they have done.

Yet you don't know about their cornerstone work on storage.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Drove by Decker last year noticed the town was for sale (4 buildings, including the house) next to the post office, and rough looking.

Drove by last week and cars parked everywhere, the town is a pot shop now.
Looked like Wyoming plates on the cars. Sheridan folks must be enjoying.

Well, the former owners of "the town" must have gotten it sold at least, good for em.

Also up the road at Kirby, MT that's a pot shop as well, I believe the sign at the bar read: blunts, butts and burgers.

Tough call but good competition for Beer, bait, and ammo.

 

[Gellar]

I don’t do pot, and don’t care. I doubt it’s worse than alcohol.

I think it’s a shame that you can be in a border state and break a law.

When the first dispensary opened in East Dubuque Illinois mere feet from the bridge that goes across the Mississippi River rumor was the city, county, and state patrol were going to have checkpoints on the Iowa side to stop the pot traffic. I don’t know if they ever did.

 

[Gellar]

Savvy natives.

on a moose hunt 100 miles upstream on a tributary of the Yukon River we had a savvy native stop at our camp in his boat and ask if we wanted to buy any weed.

 

[Nick87]

People judge others. It helps them ignore their flaws and feel superior, if only for a moment.

Now, back to bashing the guy asking for help with a crossbow purchase...

Which thread? I dont what to miss out.