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Proposition LA-M Tax on Medical Marijuana City of Los Angeles Ordinance - Majority Approval Required Official Results Pass: 128,501 / 58.8% Yes votes ...... 90,182 / 41.2% No votes
See Also:
Index of all Measures |
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Information shown below: Summary | Fiscal Impact | Official Information | Impartial Analysis | Arguments | | |||||||
In order to fund general municipal services, including but not limited to such matters as police protection and crime suppression services, fire prevention and suppression services, park and recreation facilities, and general improvements throughout the City, shall a tax be authorized on marijuana collectives of $50 per $1000 of gross receipts recognizing that the sale of marijuana is illegal?
A limited number of medical marijuana collectives are allowed to operate in the City. Some collectives currently pay no City business taxes. Others pay City business taxes ranging from $1.27 to $5.07 per $1,000 in gross receipts. THE PROPOSAL: This measure would establish a City business tax rate for medical marijuana collectives of $50 per $1,000 of gross receipts. These tax revenues would be used to fund general City services. A YES VOTE MEANS: You want to establish a City business tax rate for medical marijuana collectives of $50 per $1,000 of gross receipts. A NO VOTE MEANS: You do not want to establish a City business tax rate for medical marijuana collectives of $50 per $1,000 of gross receipts.
This measure would not otherwise regulate collectives. Medical marijuana collectives are composed of four or more members who associate at a particular location to collectively or cooperatively cultivate marijuana for medical purposes, in strict accordance with California Health and Safety Code. To become a member, a person must be a qualified patient, a person with an identification card, or a designated primary care-giver of qualified patients and persons with identification cards. The City of Los Angeles imposes business taxes on the gross receipts of organizations, businesses, corporations, and other entities conducting business in the City. A medical marijuana collective is an incorporated or unincorporated association. Since collectives must be operated on a not-for-profit basis, "gross receipts" would be defined to include qualified reimbursable expenses directly related to the cultivation and distribution of medicinal marijuana by and to members ofthe collective. The City has not yet established a uniform tax rate for medical marijuana collectives. Prior to adoption of the ordinance, collectives either did not report their activities at all or, for purposes of the City's business tax, reported their operations as businesses under a variety of categories, including retail businesses and professional services entities. Each of these business types has a different tax rate, ranging from $l.27 to $5.07 per $1,000 in gross receipts. This measure would establish a single rate for collectives at $50 per $1,000 in "gross receipts" or reimbursable expenses. Business tax revenues received through the taxation of medical marijuana collective activities will be a General Fund revenue and will fund general City services, such as police and fire services and parks and recreation programs. This measure will become effective if approved by a majority of voters.
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L.A. City Council Files Nonpartisan Information
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Arguments For Proposition LA-M | Arguments Against Proposition LA-M | ||
VOTE YES ON MEASURE M TO PROTECT VITAL SERVICES IN LOS ANGELES. During increasingly hard economic times, when City services are being cut, it is time for Los Angeles to join other major cities, and tax medical marijuana dispensaries. Currently, these facilities do not pay local business taxes, and that costs our City up to $10 million in desperately needed annual revenues. Measure M will protect and preserve Los Angeles' most vital services. Measure M will bring in up to $10 million in new revenues per year to Los Angeles. Measure M funding will be spent locally and cannot be raided by Sacramento politicians. Every penny will be invested in our community. Regular auditing and oversight will ensure that funds are spent on critically needed services in Los Angeles. Measure M will protect and restore vital services, such as our police, fire, and 911 emergency services. Measure M will help to restore library hours and preserve after-school and senior programs throughout the City. Measure M will allow the City to continue to pave our roads, alleys and sidewalks. TO PROTECT VITAL SERVICES IN LOS ANGELES, JOIN POLICE, FIREFIGHTERS, AND COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND VOTE YES ON MEASURE M.
PAT MCOSKER
JANICE HAHN
DR. ELLEN M. GOUDLOCK, MD
ANTONIO GONZALES
MARSHALL E. MCCLAIN
PAUL KORETZ
ROSIE MARTINEZ
DAVE DODDRIDGE
A No Vote on Measure M will save the City tax payer dollars in defending lawsuits:
A No Vote on Measure M will save the City tax payer dollars in creating the infrastructure:
BERNARD C. PARKS
JAN PERRY | A No Vote on Measure M keeps City tax laws consistent with Federal Law: It is illegal under Federal Law, which supersedes State and Local laws, to grow, possess or consume marijuana for any purpose. The City should not place a tax on something our Federal government considers a Schedule I narcotic and against the law.
A No Vote on Measure M keeps the City tax laws consistent with Non-Profit Law:
A No Vote on Measure M will save the City tax payer dollars in defending lawsuits:
A No Vote on Measure M will save the City tax payer dollars in creating the infrastructure:
BERNARD C. PARKS
JAN PERRY
CHARLIE BECK
STEVE COOLEY
LEE BACA
THE CLEAR ANSWER IS YES. Medical dispensaries are legally operating in Los Angeles, and the City is regulating them. They are here to stay, because in 1996, California voters passed Prop 215, making medical marijuana legal. As the opponents of Measure M admit, these are "legally operating non-profit medical marijuana collectives." But they don't currently pay business taxes--which could generate more than $10 million annually. It's not fair to other businesses that do pay taxes. Even dispensaries and patients support Measure M; and Los Angeles needs the money right now for more police, firefighters, after school programs and libraries. THE CHOICE before us is whether these dispensaries pay their fair share in City taxes. THE CLEAR ANSWER IS YES. YES ON MEASURE M.
STEPHEN DOWNING
LARRY A. BEDARD, M.D.
JANICE HAHN
JULIE BUTCHER
PAT MCOSKER
BILL ROSENDAHL
JEFF STUDDARD |