Washington Governor Signs Bill Eliminating Three-Tier Tax Structure on Recreational Cannabis
Washington State Governor Jay Inslee has signed into law a measure that eliminates the state’s three-tier tax structure on recreational cannabis in favor of a single excise tax.
Under current law, recreational cannabis is taxed at three different levels, 25% at each level. Under House Bill 2136, most of which takes effect tomorrow, this system will be replaced with a single 37% tax which would be paid at the point of sale between retailers and their customers.
The new law also allows jurisdictions to reduce the current restrictions limiting cannabis outlets from being located within 1,000 feet of a childcare center, public park, transit center, library or arcade; they would be allowed to reduce this to within 100 feet.
To encourage cities and counties to allow cannabis businesses, the bill directs the state to share tax revenue gained from cannabis sales only with areas that allow cannabis retail outlets.
The full text of House Bill 2136 can be found here.
– TheJointBlog
Fluffheadpnw
The legal lobby got there tax burden pushed onto consumers. I hate the legal cannabis industry in this state and our corrupt legislature.
David
Fluffheadpnw :
I’m a disabled Washington resident. It’s expensive enough living in Seattle on a fixed retirement without Olympia adding a 37% excise tax to my medicine, plus the 10% sales tax, (because I’m sure not entering this police-state’s patient registry) with this bunch of right-wing kooks running our State Senate.
You know it’s bad when the Seattle Times Gushes over SB5052 (remember the Times endorsed G.W. Bush). SB5052′ sponsor , State Senator Anne River’s, (R)-La Center, is from a fly-speck village which banned all cannabis sales!
She said this had to be done “for the children”. Pure Republican Bullshit. I’ve already watched six of my closest friends flee from Washington already because of this law. Although SB5052 wasn’t supposed to go into affect until next summer, Seattle’s Mayor, has apparently decided he wants to grind what’s left of Seattle’s medical community into the dust. I’m utterly disgusted by the sheer unmitigated inhumane greed on display in Olympia.