After the April election, people in several towns in Jackson County can pay up to 12% in special taxes on the purchase of recreational marijuana.
The Jackson County Legislature approved a ballot application on Tuesday to establish a tax on marijuana sales.
The vote proposes a 3% tax on sales of adult, non-medical marijuana. City councils in Kansas City, North Kansas City, Raytown, Independence and Blue Springs also passed similar ballot measures this month. Voters will have the opportunity to weigh potential sales taxes during local elections on April 4.
Revenue from the county-level tax would go to a special revenue fund for community services and veterans support services.
3rd District Legislature Megan Marshall called it a worthy cause.
“I think we’ve all felt that an opportunity to provide resources to the community, to those who would otherwise be overlooked in many scenarios, is something we absolutely should be able to take,” Marshall said during Tuesday’s meeting.
If all county and local taxes are approved, residents who purchase non-medical marijuana will have to pay more state and jurisdictional taxes. For example, people who buy marijuana in Kansas City, Independence and Blue Springs will pay 6% state tax, 3% city tax and 3% national tax.
In Kansas City, the proposed 3% sales tax would fund illegal dumping, homeless services and violence prevention programs. The 6 percent statewide tax funds marijuana oversight programs and the expunging of previous marijuana offenses from people’s records.
Kansas City officials estimate the local tax will generate $3 million a year for the first few years and increase to $10 million a year after the fifth year. Independence officials estimate his tax would bring in about $600,000 a year.
A 3% sales tax is the highest local sales tax Missouri allows, following the passage of Amendment 3 in November.
