SUBJECT:
Title
Review of Draft Ballot Language for the Imposition of a Marijuana Excise Tax
Body
DEPARTMENT: Economic Development
Department
PRESENTER(S): Stephanie Pitts-Noggle, Economic Development Manager
Amy Teetzel, Director of Administrative Operations
TIME ESTIMATE: 30 minutes
only required for non-consent items
FISCAL SUMMARY: N/A
POLICY ISSUES:
Determine if the ballot language laying out the imposition of a 5% excise tax on the sale of retail marijuana, and the suggested use for that tax revenue, is suitable for inclusion on the November 2024 ballot.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
The proposed ballot language has very strict guidelines based on TABOR requirements. Staff recommends including a provision for imposing an excise tax at the rate of 5% and adding those revenues to the General Fund for the Council to determine which most pressing priorities need the funds at any given time.
End
SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND OF SUBJECT MATTER:
Since 2012, the Town of Erie has had a moratorium in place banning the sale of retail marijuana within the Town's jurisdiction. The Town Council (formerly the Board of Trustees) has heard updates from Town staff on this matter in 2016, twice in 2021, and, most recently, in December 2023. The latter presentations included information in response to the 2021 and 2023 Community Survey results in which the majority of Erie resident respondents said they were in favor of overturning the moratorium if the Town adopted robust zoning requirements and an excise tax on any marijuana sales.
Town staff have been working on the steps to facilitate the Council and voters to vote whether to impose an excise tax on the sale of marijuana, thus effectively lifting the moratorium. The steps needed to lift the moratorium include the adoption of ballot language for a question on the November 2024 ballot, and the approval of an ordinance laying out the rules and regulations for the sale of marijuana that would be im...
Click here for full text