Baltimore voters will decide on November 5 whether to establish a city fund aimed at compensating communities disproportionately impacted by past cannabis arrests and prosecutions.
This charter amendment, known as Question G, would utilize state funds, which stem from Maryland’s recreational marijuana sales tax, to support these communities.
Maryland imposes a 9% tax on recreational cannabis, with 35% of the revenue directed to the state’s Community Repair and Reinvestment Fund. Baltimore is set to receive the largest share, as the city accounted for 30% of all marijuana possession prosecutions between July 1, 2002, and Jan. 1, 2023.
The state calculates the allocation of these funds based on the number of cannabis possession charges in each jurisdiction during that period, with Baltimore expected to benefit significantly. The city must pass legislation detailing how it will use the money before receiving its share. The law defines “disproportionately impacted communities” based on areas with over 150% of the state’s 10-year average for cannabis possession charges.
Last year, the Baltimore City Council, under President Nick Mosby, established a 17-member independent commission to oversee the city fund. This commission will determine how the funds are allocated to affected communities. While Mayor Brandon Scott initially supported the initiative, there were concerns from Chief Equity Officer Dana Moore. She warned that adding the fund to the city’s charter could lead to financial liabilities once the state’s fund expires in 2033.
Despite Moore’s concerns, both Mosby and Dayvon Love, Public Policy Director for Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle, emphasized that the legislation does not obligate Baltimore to contribute city funds. Instead, it ensures that state funds will be used exclusively for targeted communities, preventing them from being absorbed into the city’s general budget.
According to the Maryland Comptroller’s Office, the state’s cannabis tax fund has already generated $21.3 million in its first year. Baltimore is expected to receive a substantial portion of these funds, although the exact amount remains uncertain.
The proposed amendment aims to provide reparations to communities disproportionately affected by the war on drugs. If passed, it would ensure that funds are allocated specifically for community reinvestment and reparations, as outlined in the state’s Cannabis Reform Act.
Question G on the ballot will read: “For the purpose of establishing a continuing, non-lapsing Community Reinvestment and Reparations Fund… The Mayor and City Council are authorized, by ordinance, to provide for the oversight, governance, and administration of the Fund.”
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