SPRINGFIELD, Ill. --
Marijuana advocates are trying to lay the groundwork for Illinois to become the first state in the Midwest and the ninth nationwide to legalize recreational pot, arguing the move will help solve the state's notorious budget crisis.

Two Illinois state lawmakers introduced legislation last week that would allow residents 21 and older to possess, grow or buy up to an ounce (28 grams) of marijuana and license businesses to sell marijuana products subject to regulation. They say it would help fill Illinois' multibillion-dollar budget hole with $350 to $700 million in new tax revenue.

A national advocacy group, the Marijuana Policy Project, based the estimate on the proposal's $50-per-ounce wholesale tax, Illinois' standard sales tax, federal marijuana consumption data and recreational pot prices in Colorado. The proposal earmarks 50 percent of wholesale revenues for the state's general fund and divides the remaining half 30/20 between education and public health.

Rauner has already stated that as is he would not sign based on reports from Colorado.

I read a brief of the bill, as gov I would not sign it either if you where trying to raise revenue.

You have to take ou tthe clause letting the average Joe brow his own,not just for tax reasons but for environmental and waste management reasons. Reports out of Denver is some of the communities stink worse than a Dead show parking lot.

The effect of legal recreational weed on state budgets is negligible. Addicts like to propose it as part of weed's cure-all to state fiscal woes, but even if Illinois were to somehow receive double Colorado's tax revenue from marijuana (when CO was the only state in the union that had legalized recreational use) it would only account for .015% of Illinois deficit.

Taxes from legal pot wouldn't single-handedly fix our deficit, so we shouldn't legalize it? You're right, Illinois couldn't use the $200 million that Colorado generated last year. Our population is double, so it would be closer to $400 million. What a terrible idea.

Cops patrolling bad neighborhoods instead of busting dudes with dime bags?
Yeah that sounds terrible.

Prisons not overcrowded and having room to keep molesters n rapists locked up as well, probation ~parole officers free up time to actually keep an eye on the people that are worth watching.

Anybody complaining about the neighbors house smelling is full of shit, even if you didn't use carbon filters, you'd gave to get within 10 feet of the house to smell anything.

Something tells me that chas house might smell like old spilled whiskey, buttsecks, and shame.