US Politics | July 22, 2009 | 24 comments

Oakland Voters Pass Landmark Marijuana Tax To Boost City Coffers

source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/22/oakland-voters-pass-landm_n_242634.html

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bansheewail
OAKLAND, Calif. — Oakland residents overwhelmingly voted Tuesday to approve a first-of-its kind tax on medical marijuana sold at the city's four cannabis dispensaries.

Preliminary election results showed the measure passing with 80 percent of the vote, according to the Alameda County Registrar of Voters.

The dispensary tax was one of four measures in a vote-by-mail special election aimed at raising money for the cash-strapped city. All four measures won, but Measure F had the highest level of support.

Scheduled to take effect on New Year's Day, the measure created a special business tax rate for the pot clubs, which now pay the same $1.20 for every $1,000 in gross sales applied to all retail businesses. The new rate will be $18.

Oakland's auditor estimates that based on annual sales of $17.5 million for the four clubs, it will generate an estimated $294,000 for city coffers in its first year.

Pot club owners, who openly sell pot over the counter under the 1996 state ballot measure that legalized medical marijuana use in California, proposed Measure F as a way to further legitimize their establishments.

"It's good business and good for the community," said Richard Lee, who owns the Coffee Shop SR-71 dispensary and Oaksterdam University, a trade school for budding dispensary workers.
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24 comments // Oakland Voters Pass Landmark Marijuana Tax To Boost City Coffers

  • hunzedog
  • delas78
    • 0
      delas78  

    • Why is everyone so pumped about this?????

      Medical pot was already "legal" in oakland.

      Now the government is taking a share without any added benefits for growers/users.

    • 2 years ago
  • hunzedog
    • 0
      hunzedog  

    • sometimes its hard bieng the squeaky wheel.....ironically hemp oil could fix that too.Keep up the good work guys and galls! We are changing the country.yeah us

    • 2 years ago
  • sickinjersey
  • jubal
    • 0
      jubal  

    • I think that this really sucks that Oakland is turning to sick people to get money. This is abhorrent. I understand that many would consider this a step in the direction of full legalization and applaud the effort, but at what cost?

      Taking advantage of sick people who can least afford it?

      No insurance companies are paying for medical marijuana, not even the state of California.

    • 2 years ago
  • Incredulous
    • 0
      Incredulous  
    • jubal:

      yes and no jubal, any step towards legalization is a step in the right direction, and one of the things we have to remember is that this is a plant that nearly anyone can grow, so taxing a place that does business is somewhat acceptable in my book, as long as the government backs its big fat ass off of our flowerpots and garden space.

    • 2 years ago
  • tribe2
    • 0
      tribe2  

    • click on addie340's user name to see a whole slew of racist and otherwise ignorant comments on other posts.
      It's a miracle that this person can even use a computer let alone find or even be interested enough in Current to create a profile and comment.

    • 2 years ago
  • AndreaKnoll
  • pjacobs51
  • sickinjersey
    • 0
      sickinjersey  

    • addie340 profound statement!try something original with some real thought behind it.Old propaganda and bullying are in the dust. Face it logic wins over uneducated lies.

    • 2 years ago
  • soundmn777
    • 0
      soundmn777  

    • madjik68 don't even bother arguing with such a douchebag.
      Any moron that begins an argument with "Ya'll" pretty much just lost it.
      Addie340 go back to your trailer, pray to baby jesus for your mayonnaise sandwich, then turn on Nascar.
      Don't think, it's bad for your team.

    • 2 years ago
  • madjik68
    • 0
      madjik68  

    • Addie340: You harbor many misconceptions with regards to MM, and people on disability. I mean your statement: "Next do we pass a law for people selling illegal prescription drugs, and them give tax breaks to doctors that give people disability status because they are to lazy to work?" is just plain ignorant. First off it's like saying the blind are to lazy to see. And secondly, It' Legal fool!

    • 2 years ago
  • unimatrix0
  • addie340
    • 0
      addie340  

    • Just like CA, it takes a bunch of idiots to pass such a law. Who will actually pay these taxes? Next do we pass a law for people selling illegal prescription drugs, and them give tax breaks to doctors that give people disability status because they are to lazy to work? You all just keep smoking your dope and when you all drop off in the ocean some day yo won't be missed. Now we know whats wrong with Nancy Polooser.

    • 2 years ago
  • unimatrix0
  • Incredulous
  • destiny_squillante
  • wirehedd
    • 0
      wirehedd  
    • addie340:

      does it hurt to be such a flagrant ignoramus?

      A little medical cannabis might help that despite there being no cure for stupid it makes people like you a lot more tolerable.

    • 2 years ago
  • locutus
  • EmperorThan
    • 0
      EmperorThan  

    • Shoulda used the campaign slogan "Puff, Puff, Pass Marijuana Tax Reform"

      cus then anyone who didn't want to pass... would just look like an asshole at the party. NAHMEAN!!!!!!!

    • 2 years ago
  • wirehedd
  • Incredulous
    • 0
      Incredulous  

    • fine for commercial growers, but they need to stop throwing people in jail for growing their own...not criminal activity, never has been, and we should be ashamed not only for prosecuting this for so many years, but for allowing our government this kind of unwarranted control over our lives.

    • 2 years ago
  • bansheewail
  • ras_menelik
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