Local Residents Involved in Marijuana Bust
How much money does it cost the taxpayers for an 18 month long investigation? I'm willing to bet it cost us more than they seized. Considering they only seized 15 vehicles and $190,000 and stopped 295 lbs. of cannabis from getting on the streets. There was no mention of weapons or any type of violent acts from the so called suspects.
This is a rough guess or estimate:
Seized items
15 vehicles @ let's say $20,000 each + the $190,000 in cash = $490,000
Just say 20 officers @ $25,000 a year = $500,000 + $250,000 = $750,000
8 suspects if sentenced and served 5 years
@ $30,000 each a year for incarceration = $1,200,000
@ $20,000 each a year for incarceration = $800,000
No matter how you look at it this investigate and sentencing will cost the taxpayers 3 times what was seized. Yet if legalized and taxed @ $50.00 an ounce would generate $236,000 in revenue for the state. If you figure that as state wide every week that total = $12,980,000 a year for the state to spend.
This does not include the additional man power support or the court cost or the fact that they weren't full time on this case.
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