On Tuesday night, Oakland voters made that city the first in the nation to put a tax on pot dispensaries. Los Angeles has put the issue on its agenda. And in Sacramento, the city council will also be taking a look.
"The city's looking at ways to be creative in creating revenue and it's something that we'll have to look into. Right now, it remains to be seen if that is going to be a viable option," said Joaquin McPeek, spokesman for Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson.
Sacramento is believed to have at least two-dozen pot clinics operating inside its borders.
City Councilman Steve Cohn said Sacramento's 45-day moratorium on new dispensaries will allow time to consider a new tax, along with other rules to control them.
"(We need to) determine what kind of revenues are even possible. And then we can debate whether it's fair to do an extra tax," Cohn said.
In Oakland, voters approved an $18 tax for every $1,000 in gross marijuana sales. Estimates of the revenue it will bring in range from $300,000 to $1 million a year.
In Sacramento, medicinal marijuana advocates say a tax might put an unfair burden on many who depend on medical pot.
"That cost goes to the patient. The patient is already on social security, they're on disability," said Lanette Davies with the Canna Care Clinic in North Sacramento.
Some say taxing pot will send the wrong message about an issue they believe will result in more criminal activity and violence.
"They know the buildings that it's in and they rob these people and they take the weed and they even have killed some of them," said Sandra Sanders of Sacramento.
But former U.S. Marine and medical pot user William Vanderlip said he believes it's a win-win for the city in difficult economic times.
"Makes perfect sense," Vanderlip said. "If they're taxing marijuana and we're receiving something from our taxes...this city needs help as it is."
News Hawk- Ganjarden 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: News10.net
Author: Dave Marquis
Contact: News10.net
Copyright: 2009 News10.net
Website: Sacramento to Consider Pot Tax
"The city's looking at ways to be creative in creating revenue and it's something that we'll have to look into. Right now, it remains to be seen if that is going to be a viable option," said Joaquin McPeek, spokesman for Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson.
Sacramento is believed to have at least two-dozen pot clinics operating inside its borders.
City Councilman Steve Cohn said Sacramento's 45-day moratorium on new dispensaries will allow time to consider a new tax, along with other rules to control them.
"(We need to) determine what kind of revenues are even possible. And then we can debate whether it's fair to do an extra tax," Cohn said.
In Oakland, voters approved an $18 tax for every $1,000 in gross marijuana sales. Estimates of the revenue it will bring in range from $300,000 to $1 million a year.
In Sacramento, medicinal marijuana advocates say a tax might put an unfair burden on many who depend on medical pot.
"That cost goes to the patient. The patient is already on social security, they're on disability," said Lanette Davies with the Canna Care Clinic in North Sacramento.
Some say taxing pot will send the wrong message about an issue they believe will result in more criminal activity and violence.
"They know the buildings that it's in and they rob these people and they take the weed and they even have killed some of them," said Sandra Sanders of Sacramento.
But former U.S. Marine and medical pot user William Vanderlip said he believes it's a win-win for the city in difficult economic times.
"Makes perfect sense," Vanderlip said. "If they're taxing marijuana and we're receiving something from our taxes...this city needs help as it is."
News Hawk- Ganjarden 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: News10.net
Author: Dave Marquis
Contact: News10.net
Copyright: 2009 News10.net
Website: Sacramento to Consider Pot Tax
