Ladies and Gentlemen, it gives me great pleasure to announce that Oakland, California has approved Measure F! This is copied and pasted straight from Norml. Being from the bay area, and seeing this all over the news is amazing, if all goes well this could be seen as a pilot program for taxation! California: Oakland Voters Approve Nation's First Marijuana Business Tax Wed, 22 Jul 2009 05:04:14 By: Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director Editor's note: This post is excerpted from this week's forthcoming NORML weekly media advisory.] Oakland voters on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved the nation's first ever business tax on retail marijuana sales. According to preliminary election results, approximately 80 percent of Oakland voters approved the new tax (which appeared on the ballot as Measure F), which imposes an additional tax for “cannabis businesses†of $18 for every $1,000 of gross receipts beginning January 1, 2010. Presently, Oakland's medical cannabis dispensaries are taxed at the same rate as other retail sales businesses ($60 per year for the $50,000 of gross receipts, plus $1.20 for each additional $100,000). Four dispensaries are licensed by the Oakland City Council to sell and dispense medical marijuana. According to a financial analysis by the Oakland City Auditor, Oakland's new cannabis business tax will generate an estimated $300,000 in additional annual tax revenue. Representatives from the Oakland City Council, the California Nurses Association, and the dispensary community publicly advocated for the new tax, which had no formal opposition. “The passage of this first-in-the-nation tax further legitimizes cannabis-based enterprises in Oakland and elsewhere,†NORML Executive Director Allen St. Pierre said. “These outlets are contributing to the health and welfare of their local communities, both socially and now economically. At a time when many municipalities are strapped for tax revenues and cutting public services it is likely that public officials in other cities will begin considering similar proposals.†Happy toking everyone! =]
I'm pretty sure it's just a local/state law. Not 100% sure though. Anyone else from cali/the bay area[510] that knows more about measure F? I'd really like to get more educated about this seeing that it affects me, and im sure some of you.
It seems like each passing day the movement gains more and more momentum, at least in California anyway. Hopefully California's hard work will help lay the ground work for us other ass backward states (floorduh).