Strip clubs, marijuana eyed during budget crunch

[TwoCanucks]

(CNN) -- With their budgets teetering on bankruptcy, states are digging deep to find creative ways to ease their financial woes.

If marijuana were legalized, it could become California's No. 1 cash crop.

Although fiscal year 2009 was grim for states, observers predict that 2010 will be even worse.

"The numbers that states are looking at in terms of their shortfalls is truly staggering. And all of this is happening in an environment where raising taxes is still pretty toxic, and it's pretty explosive," said Sujit CanagaRetna, a senior fiscal analyst for the Council of State Governments.

Last week, Oakland became the first U.S. city to tax proceeds on medical marijuana. Other California cities have discussed a similar tax.

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http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/07/28/ ... index.html
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