The mayor of Richmond, Virginia, has called on Gov. Ralph Northam (D) and legislative leaders to legalize marijuana and establish an excise tax system for its recreational use.
In an August 11 letter, Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney (D) urged Northam, House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn (D), and Senate Majority Leader Richard Saslaw (D) to consider during the upcoming special session five proposals to “reform public safety, increase equity, and assist Virginia localities in lifting up their most underserved communities.” The session is scheduled to begin August 18.
Noting that the General Assembly decriminalized marijuana earlier this year, Stoney said lawmakers must now take the step of legalizing and taxing the drug. Pointing to the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center’s fact sheet on best practices for legalizing marijuana and the Tax Foundation’s road map on taxing recreational marijuana, he called on lawmakers to establish an excise tax system for recreational use and use the revenue to provide funding for Virginia’s “at-risk add-on,” a program that allocates funding to school districts with low-income students.
“Our children need support now more than ever, and this restorative justice approach provides that care,” the mayor said.
Northam has said criminal justice and policing reform will be a focus in the special session, in addition to the adoption of a budget based on revised revenue estimates that account for the ongoing public health crisis.
In his letter, Stoney said, “Not only do marijuana arrests comprise a majority of the total arrests in Virginia, but out of those arrests a disproportionate number are of Black people.”
“Let’s not forget the negative impact an arrest and conviction can have on someone’s life, especially when it comes to employment and housing opportunities,” Stoney wrote.
"For the past four years, my administration has been committed to increasing equity and inclusion in the City of Richmond. Given the unprecedented and challenging times we are experiencing, this work is more crucial now than ever to ensure that residents have the opportunity to thrive. However, there are often times where localities are limited in their ability to achieve these goals without financial assistance and/or changes to state law," Stoney added.
A spokesperson for Northam did not respond to a request for comment by press time.