San Diego City Council Votes to Reduce Tax on Cannabis Producers

San Diego City Council Votes to Reduce Tax on Cannabis Producers - | HempRevs

The San Diego, California City Council on Tuesday voted to reduce the tax rate on cannabis production facilities from 8% to 2% despite budget analyses suggesting the city would lose between $2 million and $4 million over the next five years by lowering the tax, according to a San Diego Union-Tribune report. The tax rate reduction does not include dispensaries, which will still pay the 8% rate.

The reduction comes as just 19 of the 40-city approved cannabis production facilities have opened, which has created local supply chain gaps, led to the creation of fewer jobs, and greater opportunities for unregulated sales.

Gina Austin, the leading attorney for the region’s cannabis industry, said the Independent Budget Analyst report was based on the flawed assumption that approved-but-unopened cannabis production facilities would eventually open without a tax cut, which she said was “absolutely not true.”

“They do not intend under any circumstances to stay here if the tax rate does not decrease.” – Austin to the Union Tribune

Councilmember Monica Montgomery Steppe, who opposed the changes, said she has a “major, major issue with reducing the tax rate for an industry that we have not opened up to everyone.”

Critics of the city’s cannabis rules have long complained that it still doesn’t have a social equity program, the report says, although city officials have maintained that the program would be in operation sometime this year.

Councilmember Joe LaCava proposed delaying the date of the tax reduction from May 1 to January 2023 so that the equity program will be in place, but the proposed amendment didn’t receive enough support. Another amendment that would have added a three-year sunset clause to the reduction also did not receive enough support.

The proposal still requires second approval from the council. That vote is expected next month.

Get daily cannabis business news updates. Subscribe

Have an additional perspective to share? Send us a message to let us know, and if your comment is chosen by our editors it could be featured here.

Sponsor message:

Thanks for reading our latest news article. Stay up to date on the latest hemp news, sourced and approved by HempRevs. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave us a message in the comments!

Sign up for our weekly newsletter to stay up to date on the latest Industry news and follow our site for our next story!

Source Disclaimer: This article was was sourced from Ganjapreneur.com (the Original Publisher). In order to maintain the functionality, trust, and safety of HempRevs.com, the content sourced from the Original Publisher may have been altered. Read the original article here:
San Diego City Council Votes to Reduce Tax on Cannabis Producers

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Awesome! You've Successfully Subscribed!

Join Our Newsletter

Get our latest reviews, news, and articles sent to your inbox every week!

Latest Articles

Galaxy Treats Banner Ad - 300x600

Related Content

Leave A Reply

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here