Illinois Dedicates Marijuana Tax Dollars To Underserved Areas
Illinois will distribute $31.5 million in grants over the next year to local nonprofits, faith- or community-based organizations and governmental bodies to address issues in historically underserved parts of the state.
The money for these grants comes from 25% of the tax revenue the state collects from recreational marijuana sales.
Its part of Illinois Restore, Reinvest and Renew program, known as R3, which aims to fund local projects around civil legal aid, economic development, re-entry from prison, violence prevention and youth development.
This initial funding is one of the first indications of how Illinois plans to help address longstanding issues in underserved communities, which was key to the success of passing cannabis legalization.
https://news.stlpublicradio.org/post/illinois-dedicates-marijuana-tax-dollars-underserved-areas