Everything you need to know about ranked-choice voting in one spot. Click to learn more!

Watsonville, California, Marijuana Advisory Vote, Measure M (November 2016)

From Ballotpedia
Jump to: navigation, search


Local ballot measure elections in 2016

Measure M: Watsonville Marijuana Advisory Vote
LocalBallotMeasures Final.png
The basics
Election date:
November 8, 2016
Status:
Approveda Approved
Topic:
Local advisory vote
Related articles
Local advisory vote on the ballot
November 8, 2016 ballot measures in California
Santa Cruz County, California ballot measures
City tax on the ballot
See also
Watsonville, California

A marijuana tax revenue allocation advisory question was on the ballot for Watsonville voters in Santa Cruz County, California, on November 8, 2016. It was approved.

A yes vote was a vote in favor of advising the city to spend the revenue from the Measure L marijuana tax on law enforcement, fire services, parks and community services, libraries, and nonprofit social and community services.
A no vote was a vote against advising the city to spend the revenue from the Measure L marijuana tax on law enforcement, fire services, parks and community services, libraries, and nonprofit social and community services.

Election results

Measure M
ResultVotesPercentage
Approveda Yes 8,949 74.19%
No3,11325.81%
Election results from Santa Cruz County Elections Office

Text of measure

Ballot question

The following question appeared on the ballot:[1]

If Measure L is approved by the voters, shall (i) 20% of its proceeds be used only to pay for law enforcement and crime prevention services, (ii) 15% used only to pay for fire services, (iii) 20% used only to pay for community development, (iv) 25% used only to pay for parks and community services, (v) 8% used only for the City libraries, and (vi) 12% only for non-profit social and community services?[2]

Impartial analysis

The following impartial analysis of the measure was prepared by the office of the Watsonville City Attorney:

This is an advisory measure placed on the ballot by the City Council. It relates to, but is separate from, the Cannabis Business Tax Measure also on the ballot. The Cannabis Business Tax Measure would impose a tax on cannabis businesses in the City of Watsonville. See the accompanying impartial analysis of that tax measure. The advisory measure is analyzed in the next three paragraphs.

This advisory measure allows voters to say how the cannabis tax revenues should be used if the proposed tax is approved. Specifically, this measure asks voters if the Cannabis Business Tax Measure is approved by the voters, shall (i) 20% of its proceeds be used only to pay for law enforcement and crime prevention services, (ii) 15% only to pay for fire services, (iii) 20% only to pay for community development, (iv) 25% only to pay for parks and community services, (v) 8% only for the City libraries, and (vi) 12% only for non-profit social and community services?

Because this measure is advisory, its passage would not legally require the City Council to spend the revenues as described in the measure. Instead, this measure advises the Council how voters wish tax revenues to be spent. If the Medical Cannabis Business Tax increase passes, the City Council may be guided by the voter’s recommendation on the advisory question in deciding how to use the revenue. However, the City Council is not legally bound by the outcome of the vote on the advisory question. The City Council can use the revenue collected for any lawful City purpose.

This measure was placed on the ballot by the Watsonville City Council. It requires a majority vote of the electorate. A “yes” vote is a vote in favor of recommending these uses of cannabis tax revenue to the Council. A “no” vote is a vote against recommending these uses of cannabis tax revenue to the Council.

The above statement is an impartial analysis of the proposed Advisory Measure on Use of Cannabis Business Tax Revenue ordinance. [2]

—Watsonville City Attorney[1]

Full text

The full text of the measure is available [Measure M: Watsonville Cannabis Advisory Measure here].

Path to the ballot

See also: Laws governing local ballot measures in California

This measure was put on the ballot through a vote of the governing officials of Watsonville, California.

Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Watsonville Local advisory vote. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. 1.0 1.1 Santa Cruz County Elections Office, "Local Measures on the November 8, 2016 Ballot," accessed November 14, 2016
  2. 2.0 2.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.