Council To Mull Measure(s) To Tax Medpot/Recpot If LB/CA MJ Nov. Measures Pass

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(July 18, 2016) -- Councilmembers Rex Richardson, Lena Gonzalez and Stacy Mungo have agendized an item for the July 19 City Council meeting "to consider placing a marijuana related tax measure or measures on the November ballot and/or other regulations on the cultivation and manufacture of marijuana related products to ensure the City has resources available to address issues which may arise should voters approve the sale of marijuana for medical and/or adult use [on the November ballot.]"

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Their agendizing memo states that a petition-initiated Long Beach ballot measure on medical marijuana operations would "repeal taxes previously adopted by City voters in 2010 related to the sale and cultivation of recreational marijuana" while a statewide petition-initiated measure would enable adult marijuana use for recreational purposes and "permits local governments to establish local sales and use taxes related to the sale and production of recreational marijuana."

The Councilmembers agendizing memo doesn't indicate any specific rates or metrics for medpot or recpot taxes, but notes a looming August 2 deadline by which the Council must decide whether to put such a tax measure(s) on the November ballot.

The Councilmembers' agenda item is basically consistent with city management's previously stated position. As previously reported by LBREPORT.com, LB Police Chief Robert Luna has previously cautioned against letting LB's now-shuttered medical marijuana outlets reopen based on LBPD's previous medpot-outlet experiences that required allocating LBPD resources...and has said that if medical marijuana outlets are allowed to reopen, LBPD will need additional resources. LB city management has also previously informed the Council of sizable staff (taxpayer) costs incurred in trying to administer LB's previous Council-adopted (ultimately court-invalidated) medpot ordinance.

The Councilmembers' agendizing memo says there's no fiscal impact for making their request, although LBREPORT.com notes there would obviously be taxpayer costs associated with adding a measure(s) to the November ballot. The City Clerk informed the Council (agendized memo July 12) that the estimated LB taxpayer cost for putting the Mayor-Council desired sales tax increase (Measures A and B) on the June ballot was $603,000.

LB taxpayers will also be paying the cost of a November citywide election on the petition-initiated LB medical marijuana ballot measure, consolidated with the November countywide/statewide election.

Marijuana remains a designated [by Congress] as a federal Class 1 controlled drug...although the Obama administration's Justice Dept. has said it won't enforce some federal laws as long as they're consistent with state medical marijuana provisions and meet other DOJ requirements.

A previous LB City Council voted years ago to add a section to the City's federal legislative agenda [policies the City is supposed to be supporting/advocating] to "Support legislation to classify medical marijuana as a recognized pharmaceutical medication dispensed through pharmacies." It's unclear to what extent, if at all, the City and its DC lobbying efforts have done so or prioritized this.