WARE — Town officials are seeking to charge recreational marijuana sellers the “local tax option” permitted by state law.
The revised Massachusetts recreational marijuana law, passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Charlie Baker in July, calls for recreational marijuana to be taxed 17 to 20 percent. The baseline tax is 17 percent — the 6.25 percent sales tax plus a 10.75 percent special excise tax on adult use.
Cities and towns can add up to another 3 percent tax.
Ware voters will decide whether to adopt the local tax option during a special Town Meeting on Nov. 13.
The Town Meeting warrant, article 23, asks whether “the Town will vote to adopt the provisions of MGL Chapter 64N, Section 3, or any other enabling authority, to impose a local sales tax upon the sale or transfer of marijuana or marijuana products by a marijuana retailer operating within the Town to anyone other than a marijuana establishment at the rate of 2 percent of the total sales price received by the marijuana retailer as a consideration for the sale of marijuana or marijuana products, or at any higher rate as authorized by law.”
Ware Town Meeting rejected a proposal by municipal officials to delay the siting of retail marijuana establishments at the November 2016.
Next month’s Town Meeting also includes an article to amend zoning bylaws related to the siting of marijuana stores.
The amendment, if approved would “allow some uses by right and to allow some uses by special permit.”
credit:masslive.com
