.Oakland Council: Yes on Pot, No on Sales Tax

In a move that further legitimizes medical marijuana, the Oakland City Council has agreed to put a measure on the July ballot that would tax pot proceeds. The measure would tax medical marijuana revenues at 1.8 percent, according to the Trib. The new tax, if passed, would do little to solve the city’s $83 million budget deficit, but it’s a smart move. The council also made a smart move when it turned down a measure to raise the city sales tax by one-quarter or one-half percent. Sales taxes are inherently regressive, and end up hurting low-income folks the most.