Jacob Redmond
Well-Known Member
In an effort to protest the recent decision by the Vallejo City Council to close all medical marijuana dispensaries operating inside the city, representatives from 11 Vallejo dispensaries will show up today at City Hall to pay their Measure C taxes.
Around 11 a.m., "medical cannabis patients and activists will gather at Vallejo City Hall to protest the city's attempt to close all medical marijuana dispensaries, even the legal ones, and reject a projected $5 million in annual revenue," according to a press release from the dispensaries.
After the protest, dispensaries will attempt to pay the Measure C tax with city staff.
In 2011, city voters approved Measure C, which imposes a business license tax rate of 10 percent on the sales of medical marijuana products within the city.
Calling themselves the Measure C Eleven, the 11 dispensaries are part of a coalition of dispensaries that opened before the 2013 moratorium by the city on the issuance of new Measure C tax certificates.
"MC 11 is organizing to fight back against the city's unfair and harmful proposal," wrote James Anthony in the same coalition press release.
Anthony is a political consultant and lawyer who represents the MC Eleven.
"Eliminating all medical marijuana dispensaries will cause untold harm to the many hundreds of medical cannabis patients in Vallejo and the surrounding areas," he wrote. "If the city insists on closing all dispensaries, MC 11 is prepared to take action, including a referendum against the city's unfair, unwise, and unkind policy, and an initiative ordinance so that the voters of Vallejo can choose the most compassionate approach."
During a January meeting, the city council voted 5-2 to close all medical marijuana dispensaries in the city, whether if the dispensaries were complying with the Measure C tax or not.
According to city staff, Measure C did not legalize the zoning of MMDs in the Vallejo Municipal Code and thus, in 2013 the council adopted a moratorium which re-stated that MMDs are not allowed in any zone of the city and forbade city staff from issuing new Measure C tax certificates.
The moratorium was extended in April 2014 and was set to expire in April of this year. At the January meeting, the council extended the moratorium and voted to refuse acceptance of Measure C taxes.
Anthony said by phone Wednesday that he expects city staff to refuse the tax payments.
"It was foolish and short sided statement by the city, when they voted to ban all MMDs," Anthony said Wednesday. "The mayor has a political agenda.
"How do we know he will follow through with regulation?" Anthony added.
During the January meeting, the council unanimously approved a motion for city staff to bring recommendations back to the council on the regulation of MMDs inside city limits. The study session is expected to take place during the second meeting in March.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Vallejo’s medical marijuana dispensaries will attempt to pay Measure C taxes
Author: John Glidden
Contact: jglidden@timesheraldonline.com
Photo Credit: Brent Lewin/Bloomberg
Website: Vallejo Times-Herald: Breaking News, Sports, Business, Entertainment & Vallejo News
Around 11 a.m., "medical cannabis patients and activists will gather at Vallejo City Hall to protest the city's attempt to close all medical marijuana dispensaries, even the legal ones, and reject a projected $5 million in annual revenue," according to a press release from the dispensaries.
After the protest, dispensaries will attempt to pay the Measure C tax with city staff.
In 2011, city voters approved Measure C, which imposes a business license tax rate of 10 percent on the sales of medical marijuana products within the city.
Calling themselves the Measure C Eleven, the 11 dispensaries are part of a coalition of dispensaries that opened before the 2013 moratorium by the city on the issuance of new Measure C tax certificates.
"MC 11 is organizing to fight back against the city's unfair and harmful proposal," wrote James Anthony in the same coalition press release.
Anthony is a political consultant and lawyer who represents the MC Eleven.
"Eliminating all medical marijuana dispensaries will cause untold harm to the many hundreds of medical cannabis patients in Vallejo and the surrounding areas," he wrote. "If the city insists on closing all dispensaries, MC 11 is prepared to take action, including a referendum against the city's unfair, unwise, and unkind policy, and an initiative ordinance so that the voters of Vallejo can choose the most compassionate approach."
During a January meeting, the city council voted 5-2 to close all medical marijuana dispensaries in the city, whether if the dispensaries were complying with the Measure C tax or not.
According to city staff, Measure C did not legalize the zoning of MMDs in the Vallejo Municipal Code and thus, in 2013 the council adopted a moratorium which re-stated that MMDs are not allowed in any zone of the city and forbade city staff from issuing new Measure C tax certificates.
The moratorium was extended in April 2014 and was set to expire in April of this year. At the January meeting, the council extended the moratorium and voted to refuse acceptance of Measure C taxes.
Anthony said by phone Wednesday that he expects city staff to refuse the tax payments.
"It was foolish and short sided statement by the city, when they voted to ban all MMDs," Anthony said Wednesday. "The mayor has a political agenda.
"How do we know he will follow through with regulation?" Anthony added.
During the January meeting, the council unanimously approved a motion for city staff to bring recommendations back to the council on the regulation of MMDs inside city limits. The study session is expected to take place during the second meeting in March.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Vallejo’s medical marijuana dispensaries will attempt to pay Measure C taxes
Author: John Glidden
Contact: jglidden@timesheraldonline.com
Photo Credit: Brent Lewin/Bloomberg
Website: Vallejo Times-Herald: Breaking News, Sports, Business, Entertainment & Vallejo News
