By Benjie Cooper
IG: @nuglifenews
YouTube: Lucid’s Vlog
When it comes time to vote in November, people around the country will weigh in on a variety of cannabis measures at both the state and local level.
Michigan and North Dakota will be choosing whether to allow recreational marijuana, and voters in Missouri and Utah will decide on medicinal cannabis measures.
Other states, counties, and cities will be voting on medical cannabis measures next month, including the city of Vista, Calfornia which has waged a constant battle against unlicensed dispensaries for years.
The city council debated allowing dispensaries in February 2018 after they had polled the residents and drafted an ordinance, but after discussing the matter, decided to maintain the status quo until the issue could be placed before Vista voters on November 6.
Currently listed on Vista’s 2018 ballot are three measures relating to medicinal cannabis and its taxation and regulation.
Measure Z is a citizen’s initiative that would allow up to eleven dispensaries in any of Vista’s commercial, industrial, business park, and mixed-use zoning districts. The measure would also implement a 7% special-use tax on gross receipts which are estimated to bring the city $117,600 per dispensary each year.
Measure BB, Vista’s Medical Cannabis Business Initiative of 2017, would amend the city’s Municipal Code to allow up to three delivery services and two testing laboratories which would be restricted to operating in the city’s industrial zones.
Measure AA is a City Council measure that would offset potential community impacts from future cannabis businesses by imposing a general tax rate of $14 per square foot. No more than 8% would be collected on gross receipts, but medicinal retail would be taxed at 10%, adult-use retail at 12%, and testing at 3.5%, bringing Vista an estimated $84,000 in revenue annually.
Of the current council members, the only one to support Measure Z is mayoral candidate Joe Green who says that the city should take advantage of the tax revenue. Green is hoping to win the Mayor’s seat from Judy Ritter who is running for re-election.
