[420 Girl]

State Sen. Rob Kane, R-32, has proposed legislation to give municipalities a share of the state's marijuana and controlled substances tax revenues if they report drug arrests in their towns and cities to the state Department of Revenue Services.

"We have had a marijuana and controlled substances tax on the books since 1991, but the towns have little incentive to utilize it," said Sen. Kane.

"Under my proposal, municipalities would get 40 percent of the revenues collected by the state Department of Revenue Services as a result of referring their drug arrests."

Sen. Kane recently testified in favor of his proposal, SB 224: An Act Directing A Portion Of The Marijuana And Controlled Substances Tax To Municipalities, before the General Assembly's Planning and Development Committee.

A municipality that reports a local drug arrest would receive 40 percent of the drug tax revenues collected as a result of that specific referral to the state Department of Revenue Services.

Sen. Kane said that providing municipalities a share of drug tax revenues would give them a financial incentive to step up their involvement in the war on drugs.

In addition, he said that his legislation would provide the state with another way to financially help towns and cities.

"Due to the current economic climate, cities and towns are being forced to make drastic cuts in their budgets; sometimes slashing funding which would go towards police, fire and other public safety services," said Sen. Kane.

"Even Gov. [M. Jodi] Rell has suggested cuts to the resident trooper program that some towns, especially in my district, rely upon. As legislators, I believe it is our responsibility to do everything we can to help the communities we represent offset their costs.

"Passing this bill would be a small, but effective, step towards fulfilling that obligation."

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