Cities and counties are debating whether to send a marijuana sales tax to voters

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St. Louis (KMOV) — Anyone over 21 will be able to buy recreational marijuana in Missouri next month, and local cities and counties want to cut from their revenue until next Tuesday to offer to voters in April. Many local governments appear to be embracing the additional revenue because several cities in St. Louis and St. Charles County have either voted or plan to vote soon to put it on the ballot.

The St. Louis City Council voted to the borough to do the same last week. The bill is awaiting Mayor Tisora ​​Jones’ signature.

“No matter where someone is at on legalizing marijuana, I think taxing it and production revenue as long as it’s within limits, I think there’s a broad consensus here in Missouri,” said Jack Cardetti, a spokesperson for Missouri Cannabis Trade. organisation.

Cardetti praises cities like Clayton, Florissant, University City, St. Peters and others who voted to bring the issue to the voter.

“We think this is good for the industry and quite frankly we think it’s good for Missouri and the Missouri economy,” Cardetti said.

Several local governments will vote on this sales tax issue Tuesday night, including St. Louis County. One county council member, Dennis Hancock, wants to hit the brakes on the issue.

“Let’s go slowly, and we don’t have to do it in April. We can do it any time this year if we want to put it on the ballot,” Hancock said.

Hancock wants to take a wait-and-see approach.

Written statements made by County Executive Sam Page indicate he wants to use the money to cut the county’s budget deficit, something Councilman Mark Harder wants to know if passed.

But Hancock said they really had no idea how much money it would bring in.

“Let’s take the time and do our homework and do it right,” Hancock said.

Harder also told News 4 that he wants transparency on how the county spends the money and fears the county will spend more than 3 percent on increasing costs for law enforcement and corrections.

Cardetti said they believe each dispensary will bring the local government about $150,000 a year and that St. Peters’ “best guess” is just under $1 million a year.

St. Charles County did not have estimates, but this week it will try to find out whether to allocate the money to public safety or to decide where to put the money later. This is an approach taken by many cities across the region, including Brentwood and Clayton.

If voters approve the tax, the city of St. Peters simply plans to improve city services, saying the money could help curb extra expenses due to inflation.

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