San Jose city officials are recommending a ballot measure that would create a tax on pot, drawing opposition from medical marijuana proponents.
The ten percent medical marijuana tax, if approved, would give San Jose the highest medical cannabis tax in the state.
The proposal is not sitting well with one of the city's most outspoken advocates. Cannabis activist Dave Hodges, who founded the city's first medical marijuana dispensary, says leveraging a ten percent tax on the city's clinics is "just ridiculous."
The proposal means San Jose would become the city with "the highest medical cannabis tax rate in the state and put undue burden on patients," Hodges told the Mercury News.
Oakland became the first city in the country to tax medical marijuana in 2009 when voters approved a 1.2 percent tax for collectives.
Other ballot measure proposals for San Jose voters would limit pay hikes that outside arbitrators can give police and firefighters when contract talks stall; would increase the city's sales tax by a quarter of a cent; and would reduce retirement benefits for new city workers.
The ballot measure proposals will be considered by the city council next month. August 3 is the deadline to get measures on the fall ballot.
