On Tuesday, St. Louis County will vote on a proposition that would impose an additional 3% tax on recreational marijuana. St. Louis County Executive Sam Page tells KMOX that the extra tax dollars would add up to $3.5 million annually — and that number would continue to grow.
"It would go a long ways in helping us close our budget shortfall and continue to provide the excellent services that people in St. Louis County have come to expect," Page said on Monday's Total Information AM. "And this tax would go into our general fund, which is primarily used for public safety, but could also help shore up other important county services like parks and road repairs."
While proponents like Page tout the benefits of those added tax dollars, some people in the County have called the measure unconstitutional. They argue that the County can only tax sales in unincorporated areas — not municipalities.
People like Jack Cardetti, a spokesperson for the Missouri Cannabis Trade Association, say that the proposition creates tax stacking.
"So when somebody goes and purchases marijuana, if these passed tomorrow, up to 3% of a sales tax will go to the city that the sale takes place in. If it takes place in an unincorporated area that will go to a county," Cardetti explained. "Unfortunately, what some counties are trying to do is to double tax that local sales tax. So they're trying to institute both a municipal tax and accounting tax."
Cardetti said he can see why the County wants to do that, but that it goes Article 14, Section 2 of the state constitution. But Page says that whether the tax is constitutional or not is up to the courts.
"Those arguments are made every day on different issues. But in Missouri, the Missouri Department of Revenue determines what taxes can be collected," Page said. "And they have determined that counties across the state of Missouri — including St. Louis County — can propose a 3% tax on recreational marijuana and if the voters approve it, then we can collect it and use it to provide important county services."
Page said he isn't sure if anyone will end up challenging the tax in court, but that if someone does, they'll "deal with it."
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