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Pot for potholes? Rep. Dillon wants to legalize, tax marijuana to pay for roads

Posted at 8:00 PM, May 20, 2015
and last updated 2015-05-20 21:44:49-04

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- State Rep. Brandon Dillon, D-Grand Rapids,  joined FOX 17 in studio on Wednesday to discuss legalizing and taxing marijuana to use for state road repairs and other funding issues impacting the state.

Dillon supports legalizing and taxing the drug. He said it will not only benefit the state by bringing in increased funding , but will also provide law enforcement more time to concentrate their efforts on violence and property crime.

He said in states like Colorado, where it's already legalized, violent crime has fallen 6.9%. Dillon also said the changing attitude toward the drug is another reason to legalize it, pointing to several cities across Michigan including Grand Rapids which have recently voted to decriminalize marijuana.

Several coalitions are already pushing to get the issue on the statewide ballot in 2016.