Woodlake, California, Marijuana Tax, Measure S (November 2017)
| Measure S: Woodlake Marijuana Tax |
|---|
|
| The basics |
| Election date: |
| November 7, 2017 |
| Status: |
 Approved
|
| Topic: |
| Local marijuana tax |
| Related articles |
| Local marijuana tax on the ballot November 7, 2017 ballot measures in California Tulare County, California ballot measures City tax on the ballot |
| See also |
| Woodlake, California |
A marijuana tax measure was on the ballot for Woodlake voters in Tulare County, California, on November 7, 2017. It was approved.
| A yes vote was a vote in favor of authorizing the city to levy a local tax on marijuana businesses at a maximum rate of 10 percent of gross receipts or $25 per sqaure foot, with revenue deposited into the city's general fund and with no automatic sunset date. |
| A no vote was a vote against authorizing the city to levy a local tax on marijuana businesses at a maximum rate of 10 percent of gross receipts or $25 per square foot, with revenue deposited into the city's general fund and with no automatic sunset date. |
Measure S was designed to levy a tax on potential marijuana businesses in Woodlake. According to the Visalia Times-Delta, revenue from Measure S was estimated at up to $700,000.[1]
Election results
| Measure S | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
| Yes | 308 | 67.84% | ||
| No | 146 | 32.16% | ||
- Election results from Tulare County Elections
Text of measure
Ballot question
The ballot question was as follows:[2]
| “ |
Voters in California voted to impose state taxes on licensed cannabis businesses. Shall Ordinance No. 610 be enacted, imposing a local general tax on cannabis businesses at a rate not exceeding $25 per square foot (annually adjusted by CPI) or 10% of gross receipts, to maintain essential public safety and general City services for Woodlake residents; generating undetermined revenue until repealed?[3] |
” |
Impartial analysis
The following impartial analysis of the measure was prepared by the office of the Woodlake City Attorney.[4]
| “ |
In November 2016, California voters approved Proposition 64 which, among other things, decriminalized the use, sale and cultivation of non-medicinal cannabis by adults and set a maximum cultivation allowance for non-medicinal cannabis. Proposition 64 also authorized local control over land uses involving non-medicinal cannabis. The City anticipates enactment of zoning standards and regulations, which would govern those types of land uses, prior to January 1, 2018. Upon voter approval of Measure S, Ordinance No. 610 would authorize the City of Woodlake (“City”) to levy an excise tax on the privilege of conducting a commercial cannabis business within the City. In order for the tax to be approved, a majority vote of the qualified voters of the City voting on this measure must vote in favor of the measure. Measure S would impose a business tax on every person engaged in a commercial cannabis business within the City, without regard to whether it is medicinal or nonmedicinal cannabis. The maximum tax rate would not exceed the greater of either: (i) $25.00 per square foot of business areas, annually adjusted upward based upon the Consumer Price Index (“CPI”) for all urban consumers in the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose areas; or (ii) 10% of gross receipts per fiscal year. The City Council would be authorized to adopt a resolution implementing a tax rate which is lower than the maximum tax rate. Measure S is a general tax under state law and, if enacted by the voters, the revenues received from the tax must be placed in the City’s general fund and may be used for any lawful purpose, as directed by the City Council, including but not limited to addressing cannabis industry impacts and/or maintaining and/or improving: 9- 1-1 emergency response and neighborhood police patrols; streets and roads repairs; support of senior and youth services; city parks; recreation programs; and any other city services for Woodlake residents. If this measure is approved by the voters, Ordinance No. 610 shall be adopted by the City Council on the date the City Council declares the election results. The ordinance will become effective (10) ten days thereafter but the tax shall not be levied until the City Council has adopted a resolution setting an effective tax rate and implementing the tax. This measure was added to the ballot by the City Council and makes no change to existing laws but will add to existing laws a citywide ordinance imposing a commercial cannabis business tax within the City of Woodlake. The electors entitled to vote on this measure are the registered voters residing within City of Woodlake. If the measure is not approved by a majority vote of the votes cast on the measure, the measure will fail and the tax will not be imposed.[3] |
” |
| —Woodlake City Attorney | ||
Support
Supporters
Woodlake Mayor Rudy Mendoza supported the measure and submitted the official argument in support.
Arguments in favor
The following official argument was submitted in favor of the measure:[4]
| “ |
Measure S will allow the City of Woodlake to impose a tax on medical and recreational cannabis businesses operating within the City now that California voters have approved Proposition 64, the Adult Use of Marijuana Act. Measure S will ensure that the City has the resources to properly support and regulate the cannabis industry without hurting our investment in city services, such as maintaining general services and public safety. Over 40 Cities and Counties in California have already enacted similar taxes for cannabis businesses to address the potential strain on the local agencies’ budgets caused by cannabis legalization. Measure S is fiscally responsible, timely, and prudent. Over the past few years, the City of Woodlake has addressed the aging downtown infrastructure, provided new recreational facilities, and has made key investments from a limited pool of resources. By proactively establishing a tax on cannabis activity, the City’s budget will be protected from any new or unexpected costs associated with cannabis legalization and permitting, and provide additional resources for investment in other key priorities. Measure S was carefully crafted with input from public safety employees, residents, and business owners in a public forum to find the right balance between generating the revenue needed while addressing public concerns for this emerging industry. Adoption of a clear, fair, and easy to follow legal framework will encourage cannabis businesses to join the regulated market, ensuring protection for consumers, the environment, and public health. We respectfully request a Yes vote on Measure S[3] |
” |
| —Rudy Mendoza | ||
Opposition
According to the Visalia Times-Delta, College of the Sequoias trustee Earl Mann expressed his opposition to the measure at a public hearing. He cited public safety and the cost of additional law enforcement officers as his concerns.[1]
Path to the ballot
This measure was put on the ballot through a 4-1 vote of Woodlake City Council on July 24, 2017.[5]
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Woodlake Local marijuana tax Measure S. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Visalia Times-Delta, "Future of Woodlake green with money, weed?," June 13, 2017
- ↑ Tulare County Elections Office, "November 7, 2017 - Tulare County Elections: Measure Submitted to the Voters," accessed September 22, 2017
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Tulare County Elections Office, "Voter’s Pamphlet Information Section," accessed October 25, 2017
- ↑ City of Woodlake, "Woodlake City Council Minutes," July 24, 2017
| |||||
