With the U.S. Virgin Islands being cash-strapped, lawmakers have been searching for ways to generate funds for the central government, which has been struggling with a structural deficit of over $100 million. Senate Democrats on Tuesday passed Governor Kenneth Mapp’s sin tax and property tax bills, which the administration hopes will raise $250 million in five years. The jury will be out on the effectiveness of the latest tax laws for sometime, and the government will either have to cutback or find other ways to raise revenue.
Marijuana has been a topic of much discussion in the territory, and a bill that would legalize the sale of the drug for medical use here — which was heard multiple times in the 31st Legislature — has the full backing of the Senate minority caucus, whose leader, Positive Nelson, holds authorship of the legislation.
But what about the majority caucus, will they support such a measure? A majority of Virgin Islanders support the legalization of medicinal marijuana in the USVI.
In the video below, three leading Democrats — Neville James, Nereida Rivera-O’Reilly and Kurt Vialet — shared their thoughts on the measure during a town hall meeting held in St. Croix on Thursday night.
Tags: kurt vialet, marijuana, Nereida Rivera-O’Reilly, neville james
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