Town trustees roll out marijuana tax for November vote

Town trustees roll out marijuana tax for November vote

Sopris Sun Staff Report

At Tuesday night’s meeting, the Carbondale Board of Trustees unanimously approved language to put a sales and excise tax question for recreational marijuana sales on the Nov. 5 ballot.

The taxes would be five percent respectively, for a total of 10 percent on retail sales.

The state of Colorado is also asking voters whether to approve statewide marijuana sales tax of 10 percent and excise tax of 15 percent.

The tax revenue is earmarked to “ … fund the enforcement of regulations on the retail marijuana industry, other costs related to enforcement of marijuana laws, education and public health programs associated with marijuana consumption including prevention of underage consumption, and other city expenses, and with the resulting tax capable of being lowered or revoked in the sole discretion of the board of trustees of the town of Carbondale … ,”  states the ballot language.

A staff memo says that the projected annual marijuana sales would be $3.225 million, with the town collecting $161,250 in sales tax.