A former federal prosecutor, a Seattle City Councilman who used to be a police officer and Seattle’s current city attorney testified Wednesday in support of a bill that would legalize marijuana in Washington state.

House Bill 1550 isn’t going anywhere this session, but as indicated by the high-profile people who now say the prohibition on pot should be lifted, the issue will be part of the debate in Washington state for the foreseeable future. The measure, sponsored by Rep. Mary Lou Dickerson, D-Seattle would legalize marijuana, have its sale regulated by the state Liquor Control Board and impose a tax of 15 percent per gram on cannabis. Supporters say it would bring in hundreds of millions of dollars for a state government staring at a deficit of at least $5 billion for the next two years.

“In these trying trying times, do you think $440 million in new revenue would be of interest,” Dickerson asked her colleagues during a House Ways and Means Committee hearing. The state currently faces a $5 billion deficit. Dickerson said the new tax monies could be used for health care and youth substance abuse prevention. “Let me clear – I don’t support legalization because I want to see more people use cannabis. I support it because I know a tremendous number of people already use cannabis. Why shouldn’t the state benefit from that (as opposed to criminal organizations).”

City Councilman Tim Burgess, a former police officer, City Attorney Pete Holmes and former U.S. Attorney John McKay spoke in favor of the bill.

Holmes said Seattle could receive up to $1 million a year in tax revenues from legalized marijuana and the “end of the war on cannabis” would let the city redirect resources. Holmes said the war on marijuana was a “practical failure.” He pointed out that alcohol, cigarettes and automobiles kill many people every year, but there are no efforts to ban them.

McKay said marijuana prohibition had “failed at the federal level, failed at the state level and failed at the local level.” He said the marijuana prohibition was fueling violent criminal cartels.

Burgess, chairman of the Council’s Public Safety panel, said he wanted a more “rationale” and “cost effective” drug policy. He said in 2003 Seattle voters passed a measure requiring that marijuana be the lowest enforcement priority for city police and noted that Holmes’ office does not pursue such cases.

“The sky has not fallen in Seattle. Reported major crimes have continued to decline,” Burgess said.

Don Pierce of the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs questioned whether the state would get as much money from marijuana taxes as estimated. The federal government would likely fight the law. He also said a significant number of people might grow the drug on their own and not buy it through the state.

“If I could make Jack Daniels in my garage and avoid paying the tax, I probably would,” Pierce said. “Folks can grow marijuana fairly easily.”

Pierce also said the law enforcement costs associated with marijuana prohibition were exaggerated.

Seth Dawson of the Washington Association of Substance Abuse Prevention said if marijuana was legalized, more people would use it.

The Seattle Times editorial board recently said marijuana should be legalized and there’s a chance voters will get a chance to weigh in on the matter soon. Sponsors of a measure that would legalize marijuana use by people 18 and older are collecting signatures to try to get an initiative before the people this fall. To qualify for the November ballot, initiative sponsors need to get the signatures of more than 241,000 registered voters by July 8. Last year a similar effort fell short by about 50,000 signatures.

In January, a SurveyUSA/KING5 poll found that a slim majority of people in Washington state – 51 percent – thought marijuana should be made legal.