Sonoma County voters in March are being asked to approve a tax on cannabis cultivation, which officials say will help pay for the impacts of growing the crop that was recently legalized for recreational use.
Known as Measure A on the March 7 ballot, it faces little opposition as a key industry group says most growers would rather pay a tax than a costlier permitting structure. The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors placed the measure on the ballot in conjunction with an ordinance to regulate the thousands of marijuana growers in the county, who currently operate underground.
The special election comes on the heels of the November poll, in which California voters approved Prop. 64, legalizing recreational cannabis, and authorizing local governments to impose regulatory frameworks.
If passed, Measure A would initially impose a tax of between 50 cents and $5 per square foot for outdoor growers and $1.88 to $18.75 per square foot for indoor cultivators.
