Oakland voters raise taxes, divert spending

July 22, 2009

Marijuana dispensary

OAKLAND, California: On July 21, voters in Oakland, California approved a package of four ballot measures, including Measure F, which imposes the first-in-the-nation city tax on marijuana sales.

Oakland is experiencing a severe cash flow shortage. The city's leaders proposed the four successful ballot measures in the hopes that they will raise revenues to close the gap. Measure C raises the city's hotel tax from 11% to 14%. Measure F imposes a 1.8% tax on marijuana. Measure H allows the city to tax some real estate transfers that previously went untaxed. Measure D redirects about $3.7 million from youth programs to other city services that would otherwise, under the terms of last fall's Measure OO, go exclusively into funding youth programs.

List of measures

a City of Oakland Hotel Tax, Measure C (July 2009)

a City of Oakland Kids First! Funding, Measure D (July 2009)
a City of Oakland Marijuana Tax, Measure F (July 2009)
a City of Oakland Transfer Tax Clarification, Measure H (July 2009)