Littleton is proposing a tax on future recreational marijuana retail stores on November’s ballot.
The 3 percent tax would be in addition to existing city sales tax and any state tax. However, city council has yet to decide whether it will allow retail marijuana stores in the city.
Mayor Debbie Brinkman said council needed to come out with the ballot language now because of deadlines to get things on the ballot.
“I think for one thing, there’s going to be some additional costs to the community, and that will be a way to recover some of those additional costs,” Brinkman said.
Part of Amendment 64 allows for municipalities to place an additional city tax on retail marijuana stores, in addition to whatever the state adopts. The money from the tax would go into the general fund, just as existing sales tax does.
“We live off sales tax revenue so we might as well,” Brinkman said.
A discussion was slated for an Aug. 27 study session of policy regarding retail marijuana, such as what laws and codes might have to change, what kind of rules and regulations will be put in place and if the council wants more or less than the four medical marijuana shops it already has.
Council members also will be briefed on the legal facts from the police, code enforcement from the code department and the pros and cons from staff of allowing retail marijuana stores. From that study session, council will direct staff to come up with an ordinance.
Brinkman said the ordinances and rules and regulations must be decided by Oct. 1 or the city’s policies will revert to whatever the state has adopted. She said the council is fairly split on the issue of allowing retail marijuana stores.
Brinkman said she doesn’t feel the marijuana tax will be much of a deterrent, otherwise the city would have enacted a 50 percent tax.
Clayton Woullard: 303-954-2671, cwoullard@denverpost.com or
