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Another tax on Sonoma cannabis?

My understanding is that the City of Sonoma is planning to place a 4% Cannabis Tax initiative on the November ballot, right next to the Sonoma Citizens for Local Access cannabis initiative.

Interesting that they chose the General Fund path, since the 2/3 supermajority required is a tough hurdle –voters don’t like General Fund taxes since the City deciders can spend it any way they want.  On the other hand, the City could come up with a Specific Tax that requires only 1/2 of the voters to approve that they just might support, like a Hospital fund, except then it would “supplant” the City’s freedom to spend it on any whim they see fit.  Meaning that the City will probably stick to their guns and have to cross their fingers with a General Fund tax approach in order to maintain their perceived purpose.

There’s already sles taxes, state taxes and fees that add up to about 25% on every cannabis purchase so let’s give it a 1/3 chance of passing.  Can you name one other business in this town that has a punishment tax designed exclusively for local consumers, as if the $110,000 nonrefundable that the City pocketed for the ten license applications wasn’t enough?

— Jon Early
Sonoma Citizens for Local Access

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    One Comment

    1. Mike Gillean Mike Gillean June 29, 2020

      Of course they will. They think this is a cash cow for them. Probably how they sold it to the “no-cannabis in any form” Council naysayers. Add the 15% Ca tax, 9% sales tax, now the Sonoma City fee, 4%. 28% total!! Plus it goes to the General Fund, the Council will spend it on things we don’t agree with. The Black Market will reap the benefits of draconian taxes, as they are now, while the City collects less revenue.

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