Could taxed marijuana sales lower Texans’ property taxes?

Driving from Lubbock, it takes a little more than an hour to cross the state line into New Mexico. Since the state began recreational marijuana sales last year, it’s become a popular destination for certain travelers.

“It seems like every week or weekend we hear about someone making a trip to Colorado or New Mexico,” said Jake Syma, president of Lubbock’s chapter NORML, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.

Syma is also a longtime follower of Texas politics, and offers this general guidance to Texans:

“Consume it all there, don’t bring any back,” Syma said. “Because the penalties in Texas are extremely draconian, and always have been.”

Syma said he doesn’t actually consume cannabis himself — He’s more of a supporter of what he calls freedom issues. That’s one of his big arguments for why Texas should reform its own laws. Another comes down to economics.

It’s estimated that states could add at least $400 million in revenue if it legalized and taxed cannabis sales. What could that go toward? Well, Syma believes offsetting property taxes is a good option.

“If Gov. Abbott wants to declare victory for all property owners in Texas, this is a good way to approach it in my opinion,” he said.

Texans pay some of the highest property taxes in the country. That money funds public schools and other essential services, which can lead to sticker shock for Texas homeowners. This…