If you had the choice... where should the MJ tax revenue go?
To the water and sewer enterprise fund or the CPA, Community Preservation fund or to the general fund?
Keeping in mind, our taxes are going up by 1% to pay for the CPA as well as the Fuller School
The Mayor proposes a 12% increase in water rates which still may leave a deficit next year.
If the Mayor and CC can't find middle ground, our taxes will go up to pay for the water deficit by an average of 85.00 dollars
posted by Jim Pillsbury @ 1:18 PM
8 Comments
8 Comments:
It should go to where the need is greatest. Right now that may be to make our schools safe. And then to the biggest deficit the city faces, which is the water and sewer enterprise issue from the sounds of it. However, I suspect there is not enough revenue there to cover both.
How much money are we talking Jim?
That money should be used to prevent taxpayers from having to ante up more money. Before any tax increase, or service cost increases, we should be using that money. Where are they using this money now?
At very best, if Giombetti and the City council and the Mayor didn't purposely drag their collect feet, we may have seen a million bucks or more at the beginning of this year. If all the companies who signed host agreements were up and running this year, we may see a million and half dollars in January 22. All the companies pay at the close of the calendar year.
The Mayor has not claimed any revenue from the industry in 2021 budget. While we do have a few retail shops, not all are ready to open and that goes for the largest grow operation around headed for Eastleigh farm.
While it's no panacea, other communities seem to have earmarked tax revenue to fund all kinds of things.
A company in Natick plans to invest $1.5 million to build a Natick location that will generate 35 full- and part-time jobs. Its proposal includes an annual community impact payment to Natick of 3% of gross revenues, plus a $25,000 annual payment for equipment and supplies for the Natick Police Department and special projects related to the Natick 2030+ Master Plan. That $25,000 payment would continue for at least five years.
The company’s proposal includes $1.5 million to redesign the Emporium, 25 new jobs and $18 million in annual revenues. Payments to Natick would include $1 million annually in fee and sales taxes, plus a total of $30,000 annually to three local entities — Natick Veterans Services, Friends of Natick Trails and The Center for Arts in Natick.
Northampton does not earmark this 3% excise tax for specific spending,” said Mayor David Narkewicz in an email.
Sales tax revenue does not include the “community impact fee” that towns can collect from marijuana operators, which is another 3% fee on gross sales to mitigate costs the city or town incurs as a result of the marijuana business. In Northampton, that translated to another $2.6 million in fees, which has gone to road improvements, sidewalk construction, on-street parking, crosswalks, and more. The city is in the process of designing more road system improvements to the street adjacent to the dispensary and said it will likely use community impact fund payments to fund it.
According to state law, the Legislature can appropriate that funding to support the Cannabis Control Commission or five other areas, two of which focus on economic equity and initiatives to benefit people living in communities disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs. The law also allows the Legislature to allocate money to public and behavioral health, public safety and municipal police training.
In Uxbridge, Host community agreement revenue has been targeted to parks and recreation and economic development.The goal for sales tax income is to fund capital, including an automated external defibrillator for emergency rescue crews, vehicles and building upgrades.
Gardner has received $50,000 in sales tax, plus around $15,000 in host agreement payments from Sanctuary Medicinals, which opened for retail sales in March.
Mayor Mark P. Hawke called the revenue “not enough,” saying there was no shortage of municipal needs, but it is helping to fund a new elementary school.
Even for a city with an annual budget of $685 million, the marijuana income provides more flexibility for spending priorities, City Manager Edward M. Augustus Jr. said.
Some of the payments cover the costs of bringing a new industry into the city, including staff time that “went into rolling out as thoughtfully as possible.”
Beyond that, Mr. Augustus said, “I’m really looking to prioritize youth programming.”
He said he hoped to expand Recreation Worcester, which this summer has brought 2,000 kids to city parks for daylong activities.
“It’s basically like having a summer camp in your park,” he said.
The program extends to after-school and school vacation programs in some neighborhoods, which Mr. Augustus wants to grow.
Without marijuana money, he said, “you’d have to do a little less or find ways to cobble together the revenue.”
What is the deal Jim on Eastleigh? When will that be up and running and how much money do you think the city will see from that?
they are still in land court the last time I checked. A small group of rich white folks from the north side are suing the planning board.
According to Doug (Eastleigh), they will be the biggest taxpayer in Town and I believe it. How much all depends on how much they grow and sell, here in MA.
I think this money should be used to lower property tax bills for all residential properties
Last night's council meeting, the COO gave an estimate on how much tax revenue we could expect when all the shops are running, 500 to 600k. He also said the city has collected a little over 150K so far.
Four years and 3 months after the ballot question was passed. What a pity the Mayor, Council 1.0 dragged their feet for so long.
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