Public libraries should seek out funding opportunities from cannabis tax revenue in states that enact legalization, a new whitepaper from a library-focused political action committee argues.
While cannabis tax dollars are often earmarked for public education, there hasn’t been a concerted push to provide specific funding for libraries up to this point. The paper published by the EveryLibrary Institute says that advocates should turn the page by working with lawmakers and cannabis organizations to secure new revenue streams.
“Cannabis taxes are a huge potential source of funding that libraries should not be left out of,” it says. “Libraries in states with current recreational cannabis should be actively working with state legislatures to allocate funding from tax revenue. In states that have not yet legalized recreational cannabis, libraries have an opportunity to anticipate and influence the future allocation of tax revenue.”
Because libraries are often funded by cities and counties, the authors emphasized the importance of having libraries push for portions of revenue at the municipal level in states that provide for a local option tax on cannabis.
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