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CU Pays $50,000 For Annual Pot Celebration

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) - University of Colorado officials are discussing the possibility of shutting down an annual marijuana celebration event that costs the school tens of thousands of dollars to manage.

Vice Chancellor for Administration Frank Bruno says CU pays about $50,000 annually to hire personnel from the sheriff and police departments as security for the event that draws as many as 10,000 on April 20. CU also pays for security to check student's identification at buildings that day.

CU Regent Michael Carrigan called the expense outrageous.

University police say they issued 33 tickets at this year's event, double the number last year. Most were for possession of marijuana.

The Boulder Daily Camera reports the university is spending money on the event as it copes with a $50 million shortfall in state funding during the last two years.

CU spokesman Bronson Hilliard says the university is open to ideas about stopping the event.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

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