St. Clair County Board member calls taxation on cannabis sales a ‘money grab’
A St. Clair County Board member is calling a new county tax on recreational cannabis sales a “money grab.”
St. Clair officials voted Monday night to set an official taxing rate on recreational marijuana during a special meeting, where all board members who were present voted in favor of the ordinance but one.
Board member Ed Cockrell said he voted against the ordinance because he feels the people of the county have been taxed enough.
“Those who voted yes are just taxing to tax,” he said. “I don’t think it’s right to vote for a tax just to tax. I’m done with all the taxes and I think people in St. Clair County are done with all the taxes, too.”
The ordinance sets the taxing rate on recreational sales of cannabis at 3.75 percent in unincorporated areas of the county and 3 percent in municipalities in incorporated areas of the county.
That’s in addition to the sales taxes already in place and whatever amount the municipality where the sale takes place taxes on recreational marijuana, such as Collinsville. The state also plans an additional tax based on the potency of the cannabis being sold.
Cockrell said he was also pushed to a no vote because he felt like he couldn’t get a straight answer on where the revenue would go and how much it might raise. He said if a city like Collinsville, where officials believe taxing recreational sales could raise $1 million, the county also should be able to come up with an estimate.
“I asked how much we were anticipating raising with this new money grab — and that’s what it is — and nobody could tell me,” he said. “I voted no because I couldn’t get my questions answered.”
Earlier this month at a special meeting of the board the county approved an ordinance setting tax rates as up to 3.75 percent and 3 percent in unincorporated and incorporated areas of the county. This ordinance approved Monday repeals that ordinance and sets official rates.
Board Chairman Mark Kern said at the meeting earlier in September the revenue raised by the taxes may go to law enforcement projects and to offset costs from legalization of the drug.
He added some tax revenue could go to “bolstering” law enforcement programs, as per the state’s legislation on legalization.
“I would hope that we can use this to fund law enforcement programs,” Kern said. “There are programs that we would like to do and things we would like to do and our hope is that this revenue would allow us to help out in areas of law enforcement.”
On the state level, revenue is expected to be distributed mostly to the general revenue fund.
St. Clair is the first county in the metro-east to vote on and approve taxation of cannabis since cannabis sales were made legal through new state law.
Sales will officially become legal Jan. 1, 2020.