Expenses Explode At Michigan Medical Marijuana Program

[bobandtorey]

For a state department that does nothing but print and issue marijuana registry cards, you’d think the expenses would go down when fewer cards are issued.

Not so at Michigan’s Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Department (LARA), the agency responsible for administering the state Medical Marihuana Program (MMP) patient database.

Despite issuing 26,000 fewer registry identification cards, LARA reported an increase in expenses of $1.8 million- more than a 44% jump from last year’s $4 million price tag.

In Fiscal Year 2013 the state printed 145,000 cards for the program and spent $4 million in expenses. In FY 2014 LARA issued 119,000 cards and charged Michigan citizens $5.8 million to do it.

The $5.8 million comes directly from the Medical Marihuana Fund, a self-generating fund created by the revenues from registration fees paid by medical marijuana patients and caregivers. It was reported earlier in 2014 that the fund had a positive balance of more than $27 million.

Revenue figures for FY 2014 dropped significantly. LARA reports $8.882 million received versus $10.898 in FY 2013.

“The department has a relatively simply task in processing applications and issuing licenses to program participants,” said Jamie Lowell, co-founder of Ypsilanti’s 3rd Coast Compassion Center and Chairman of theMichigan chapter of Americans for Safe Access (ASA). “Although the amount of work has decreased, the cost to run the department has inexplicably significantly increased.”

What LARA is doing with all that extra money is unclear.

“Perhaps some of the excess funds could have been reimbursed to patients, since the state is not intended to profit from the MMMP program,” said Matthew Abel, an attorney and co-founder of Detroit’s Cannabis Counsel. He’s also the Executive Director for the Michigan chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (MiNORML). “If the state wants to profit, then we should move toward legalization and collect state sales tax on marijuana.  If we did that, perhaps we could fix and maintain the roads without raising the sales tax.”

PROGRAM STILL STRONG

As the result of legislative action in 2012 the MMP began a two-year registry period in 2013. Each medical marijuana identification card issued for half of FY 2013- starting in April- would not have to be re-registered until 2015 or 2016.

Renewal applications for the MMP would have been received during the last quarter of 2013 and the first quarter of 2014, meaning there should have been no renewal applications submitted to or approved by LARA from April – September, 2014, the last half of FY 2014.

In FY 2013 there were a total of 36,175 renewal applications approved by LARA and only 18,436 in FY 2014- almost exactly half. This lack of renewal applications is a result of that new 2 year program and these figures indicate the MMP is not declining in number of registered participants.

Similarly, the number of new applications indicate solid support for the program. The number of Initial Applications received in FY 2014 was 92,652- a 32% increase from the 70,262 reported during FY 2013.

FY 2013’s new patient enrollment numbers are partially inflated due to a backlog of 2012 applications being processed in the next fiscal year. The number of Initial Applications reported was not inflated by that backlog.

Some activists were expecting the increase in number of new applications filed. “I’m not surprised,” said Brad Forrester, a Board member with the MiNORML group. “There are at least 1,000,000 people in the state who qualify for the [medical marijuana] program. If those people ever want access to medical cannabis treatment options, they better get involved with one or more of the organizations lobbying legislators, like Michigan NORML, National Patients Rights Association or Americans for Safe Access to encourage legislators to pass laws that broaden access to medical cannabis treatment options, not make access more restrictive.”

With similar intent, Cannabis Patients United’s David Brogren suggested concerned patients and caregivers consider joining his organization, a registered 501©4 non-profit.

[Wild Bill]

Government programs always increase expenses.  If they don't spend their entire budget, they don't get as much the next year.

 

I had a relative who worked for the Federal government and they came around at the end of every year telling him, "You have 2 million left in your budget. We don't care if you buy 2 million dollars worth of paper clips, but you have to spend the money before the end of the year or we'll get a budget reduction".

 

Our tax dollars at work.

[Willy]

they likely slide funds off to whom ever pockets needs to be lined... 

[t-pain]

what else is it going to cost for them to move locations???

[t-pain]

a trick they do when they can only use funds for one program is to have them upgrade computers and office equipment every year, and then give the old office equipment to whatever other program wants it.

 

i still do not understand how many offices there are in michigan that would require a 41 million dollar furniture budget? anyone know how many offices that is for?

 

http://www.michigandems.com/snyder-spends-millions-cousins-office-furniture

Edited January 2, 2015 by t-pain

[Quadcarl]

And the garbage patch in the pacific gets bigger, disgusting!

[solabeirtan]

And the garbage patch in the pacific gets bigger, disgusting!

 

Unfortunatley for US our State Government is turning our fare State into a garbage dump.  (Including radioactive) Instead of bringing in jobs, he's bringing in garbage. So much for Snyders' philosophy of moving MI into the future.   He's not bringing  us into the future, they're cashing it in now and looking for more. 

 

What we need desparatley hear is some accountability.

 

 

 

Over 2200 tons of Pennsylvania frack waste dumped in Michigan

 

Posted on December 31, 2014 

 

 

 

We learned of this by searching the State of Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection’s “oil and gas reporting” website. That the State of Michigan Dept of Environmental Quality Office of Oil Gas and Minerals neither tracks the disposal of frack wastes–generated in Michigan or elsewhere–nor provides the information to the public as Pennsylvania does, is troubling. - See more :

Edited January 2, 2015 by solabeirtan

[solabeirtan]

Speaking of budgets? here's what it cost US for this ill  iluminated, yet professional, insight.  I thought the Republicans were all for small government, not so according to their 2014 State Budget.

 

 

OK so I'm doing some more digging?mining!  thinking Surely  there's mo to the story... you think? this is scary real crap. On the EQ site i see a listing for the LoLevel Raidioactive Waste Dept right ... This is almost unbelievable, I'm thinking after pressing the link on MI.gov. It started in 1987 under FED mandate, the story goes... then  they determined they couldn't find a site to build on in MI and in 1989:

Edited January 2, 2015 by solabeirtan

[t-pain]

so whos with me ? "no new taxes" ! 

[YesMichigan]

so whos with me ? "no new taxes" ! 

 

Aren't they cutting the fee for cards in half (the day after I get mine at the previous old price I think).

 

It's all a boondoggle. How many millions for furniture? At least stuffing hazardous waste in to holes leading to our aquifers generates oil. Buying overpriced office furniture is just an unimaginative and lazy scam. That's Kwame style corruption at the state level. Funny how the scrutiny is less and less as the dollars involved get larger and larger.

[solabeirtan]

"That's Kwame style corruption at the state level."  

 

Kwame wasn't even in the same league as these players.  How about credit where it's due? I'm ready to throw the race card on that one.  Granted Kwame is no angel. But he's taking a lotta heat, for a lotta crap and that has been goin on in the D since way before our time. And it aint gettin any better there. 

Contrary to da gov an his cronies. 

 

They can have their furniture, at least somebody has to make it and deliver it at least. Dumping TOXIC waste into aquifiers damages an entire multi eco-system resource, so we can have cheap gas? More likely so a few profiteers can bank some quick, fast moolaa...    peace 

[YesMichigan]

"That's Kwame style corruption at the state level."  

 

Kwame wasn't even in the same league as these players.  How about credit where it's due? I'm ready to throw the race card on that one.  Granted Kwame is no angel. But he's taking a lotta heat, for a lotta crap and that has been goin on in the D since way before our time. And it aint gettin any better there. 

Contrary to da gov an his cronies. 

 

They can have their furniture, at least somebody has to make it and deliver it at least. Dumping TOXIC waste into aquifiers damages an entire multi eco-system resource, so we can have cheap gas? More likely so a few profiteers can bank some quick, fast moolaa...    peace 

 

Ain't no need throwin' no race card because you took it out of context from the get. I said "Kwame style" not "Kwame level" these people take it to an extreme Kwame could only dream about which was my comment about how it is funny there is LESS oversight as the budgets get LARGER. I put that in there as the safety valve to your right honorable objection.

 

Kwame did some things but he sure didn't do a good job at leaving no trace. Sure plenty did it before him and even more will do it after but my man just wasn't subtle about running his game. Discretion is a thief's best friend. The only thing it seems Kwame was never accused of being was discreet.

[t-pain]

 

 

so whos with me ? "no new taxes" !

 

Aren't they cutting the fee for cards in half (the day after I get mine at the previous old price I think).

 

i'm referring to the plan of the legislature to put a ballot question (next election) to the voters if they want to increase the state sales tax to pay to fix the roads.

[Restorium2]

The price for a card started going up when they decided to do a little more 'investigation' into the applicants. Simple as that. They look more comprehensively into records, doctors, daisy chains, multiple caregivers at one address, all that and more. It takes eyeballs to do that and that's mo' money. Probably a lot of it is illegal and against our rights. 

[imiubu]

Cost went up for me.

[bobandtorey]

Ain't no need throwin' no race card because you took it out of context from the get. I said "Kwame style" not "Kwame level" these people take it to an extreme Kwame could only dream about which was my comment about how it is funny there is LESS oversight as the budgets get LARGER. I put that in there as the safety valve to your right honorable objection.

 

Kwame did some things but he sure didn't do a good job at leaving no trace. Sure plenty did it before him and even more will do it after but my man just wasn't subtle about running his game. Discretion is a thief's best friend. The only thing it seems Kwame was never accused of being was discreet.

Discretion is a thief's best friend i agree their an Art in making money and an Art in spending it

[bobandtorey]

i'm referring to the plan of the legislature to put a ballot question (next election) to the voters if they want to increase the state sales tax to pay to fix the roads.

I know what you mean and theirs a trick up there sleeves to getting it done even if we all vote no it will still happen mark my words on that