The San Benito County Board of Supervisors has voted to place a cannabis tax measure on the June ballot, allowing voters to determine the tax rate for local cannabis operators and potentially reshape the county's cannabis industry, especially for outdoor growers.
Local operators are working with the county to modify the ordinance to make it economically viable for outdoor growers. In a four-to-one vote, supervisors approved the measure, putting the final decision in the hands of voters.
The measure asks voters if the county should replace its cannabis business tax rate from $3 per square foot to $1,000 per acre, cutting the tax rate by 130 percent.
Supervisor Colin Kosmicki, who championed the measure and served on an ad hoc committee to rework the county's tax structure, said, "The tax structure in place will allow the county to have some flexibility, so if the market goes downward, we could potentially decrease the rate or presumably increase the rate over time."
As it stands right now, the county isn't collecting any cannabis tax revenue.
Read more at KSBW
