County tax set on recreational marijuana

Gordon Woods
Posted 9/22/19

Although the county has not yet determined if it will permit the sale of recreational marijuana, it did recently approve a sales tax on the product if it does authorize sales.

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County tax set on recreational marijuana

Posted

CLINTON — Although the county has not yet determined if it will permit the sale of recreational marijuana, it did recently approve a sales tax on the product if it does authorize sales.

The county board voted to approve a cannabis retailers occupation tax of 3.75 percent for unincorporated areas of the county and 3 percent for municipalities.

The ordinance had to be ready by January 1, 2020.

The measure was not without its dissenters.  Board member Melonie Tilley said, based on moral grounds, she could not vote in favor of the tax.

“I understand the tax value for the county, but I just can’t support something like that,” Tilley said.

Effective at the beginning of the year, Illinois residents will be permitted to possess up to 30 grams of cannabis flower, up to 500 milligrams of THC in a cannabis-infused product or up to 5 grams of a cannabis concentrate. Non-residents will be allowed half as much. 

“What this allows the county to do …this is just setting the tax rate,” said county board chairman David Newberg.  

The tax rate set by the state originally was 0.75 percent for municipalities but was recently increased to 3 percent.

“Whether you approve of recreational marijuana or not, this is simply if it gets to that point,” Newberg said.

The tax rates voted on by the county board were the maximum allowed under state law.

“And, I believe in setting them at that,” Newberg said.

The board voted 9-2 in favor of the tax, Tilley and Nate Ennis voting “no.”  One member was absent.