Legalizing marijuana in New York could help close the state's multibillion-dollar budget deficit and aid the economic recovery effort amid the pandemic, according to Democrat Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
"There are a lot of reasons to get it done, but one of the benefits is it also brings in revenue, and all states — but especially this state — we need revenue and we're going to be searching the cupboards for revenue," Cuomo told the Staten Island Advance.
"And I think that is going to put marijuana over the top."
Cuomo said a third shot at legalizing marijuana in New York will be coming "soon," and an adviser says that will be as soon as early 2021, according to the report.
"We're working on this," the adviser reportedly said. "We're going to reintroduce this in our budget in January.
"We think we can get it done by April 1."
The first two attempts to legalize marijuana failed as lawmakers fought over the revenue and whether the state's counties could opt out, per the Advance.
Cuomo has signed a bill to reduce the penalties of marijuana possession, remove penalties for under two ounces, and starting the process to clear past convictions of marijuana.