Oakland Lights Up Pot-Tax Revolution
Other cities could follow the green
By JESSICA GREENE and KIM TERE
Updated 9:36 AM PST, Tue, Jul 28, 2009
Almost a week after Oakland voters approved a cannabis tax, other Bay Area cities are considering a similar move.
With the new tax in Oakland expected to generate nearly $300,000 a year, the idea is tempting to other cities.
During a special election last week, voters in Oakland approved a 1.8 percent tax on cannabis businesses -- the first of it's kind in the U.S. A similar tax could be a benefit for San Francisco as well.
San Francisco officials say they may tax pot clubs to fill their city coffers.
"It would make sense to try and capitalize on this," Supervisor Ross Mikarimi says, "without trying to hurt the patients and trying to capitalize on the retail operation of medical cannabis."
The idea to tax medical marijuana in the City came up about three years ago but is now coming up again. The fear of losing federal funds kept San Francisco from moving forward on a pot tax in the past, but with a different point-of-view from the White House and state leaders in Sacramento, Mikarimi says, the idea had regained footing.
"I think cities in California should be encouraged to seriously examine this idea of taxation." Mikarimi says.
Other California cities that are considering taxing medical marijuana are Berkeley, Santa Cruz, Sacramento and Los Angeles.
First Published: Jul 27, 2009 7:24 AM PST
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